Pain is Merely a Touch Away
by TheGreatHibiki
Summary: Some semblances are oft crafted by the soul of the person, yet some are shaped by the experiences of their owner. In that case it can be either a blessing or a curse and for one Jaune Arc, when captured by the White Fang, he learns his Discompose certainly seems like the latter.
1. Chapter 1

Some semblances are oft crafted by the soul of the person, yet some are shaped by the experiences of their owner. In that case it can be either a blessing or a curse and for one Jaune Arc, when captured by the White Fang, he learns his Discompose certainly seems like the latter.

Pain is Merely a Touch Away.

By

Hibiki

Imagine you could have the rights to RWBY, but for the rest of your life, you would have to clean up every mess or problem created by every Rooster Teeth 'Million Dollars, But..." challenge accepted. Would it be worth it? Not for me.

RWBY is created by Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.

Chapter One: To upset the order of; disarrange; disorder; unsettle

Nicholas Arc Struggled against the hellish looking blade of the Bull faunas before him. The young masked man held only a small grimace as he held the large buster sword at bay with a surprising amount of strength, despite the white fang holding his long weapon single highhandedly. Behind the Arc patriarch and whimpering in fear was his seven little girls and his wife, though much to his panic and anger, his 15 year old son had been separated from them by a brute of a wolf faunas during the initial surprise attack on their annual train trip through Forever Fall Forest. Nicholas cursed himself for allowing such a thing to happen and used that to allow the few hits he took to fuel his semblance. To his vexation, it seemed that the bull faunas was also absorbing, meaning a similar build up attack.

The older man bit back a curse once he realized the man one of the white fang underlings called 'Adam' wielded a semblance much like his own, the damage the two of them could unleash, amplified and reflected over again until their aura wore out could almost guarantee the destruction of the train they were all on, if not a large chunk of the forest. It also seemed that this Adam also figured out the problem and his grimace became a full frown. With a dredge of sheer willpower Nicholas pushed the young bull away, allowing a small bit of breathing room.

"It seems you also realize we're at an impasse as well."

"I'll cut you down before you-" The man was cut off as another subordinate came shouting from the forward car into the one the White Fang and Nicholas had all but destroyed.

"Alabaster says a large force of Atlas troops on their way! We've got the cargo and brat as hostage, we're clear to go, Adam!" Adam sneered and whipped his blade back into it's rifle sheath.

"Feh. You're lucky we've got what we need, human." It seemed like the Bull was to say more but a explosive rocked the carriage they were in. "I'll kill you next time." He turned and began racing off as more detonations rocked the train they were riding. Nicholas raced after them, his rage mounting.

"ADAM! Give me back my son, you bastard!" Nicholas raged as he stepped out onto the roof of the train, watching helplessly as the bullhead loaded with terrorists, dust and his teenaged son zoomed away from the incoming Atlas battleships.

"JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUNE!"

(-o0O0o-)

One and a half Years Later

He snapped awake, heart racing. The memories of that time slowly fading into the recesses of his mind as he quickly slipped off his muted blue onesie and took to his shower with military efficiency. Once he finished toweling off he remained nude, standing center of his room. Closing his eyes he breathed softly, trying to calm his mind and stay his hand. Several minutes passed in this way, the only sign of the turmoil in his head was the slow subtle quiver beginning in his right hand that soon turned into a full on tremor. With a frustrated and shaken sigh the young man opened his cobalt blue eyes and stared remorsefully to his trembling digits before glancing at the clock on his wall.

"Three minutes, twelve seconds. Eight seconds longer this time." His voice was that of a boy turned man, voice cracking with the last vestiges of puberty, but also with a pained sense of gloom that belayed his stubborn progress.

Looking around his room he quickly found his normal outfit, Long heavy duty pants, so sturdy the legs couldn't be hemmed by a normal sewing machine, so he wrapped them around his shins tying them securely, the added layers between exposure and his legs a comfort to the young man. His torso was covered in a heavy long sleeved shirt, sturdy and durable, similarly to his pants they were also bound shut at his wrists, but not before full fingered gloves slipped on and their forearm ends covered by bound cuffs. A neck to nose cloth mask soon covered his face and a hood from his shirt covered his sun kissed hair.

[knock knock] A soft knock echoed from his door. Panic filled him and he quickly covered his blue eyes in shades, trying to calm his trembling as the voice of his mother called forth.

"Jaune, are you covered?"

"Y-yes." It was only then his door opened and his mother walked in. There was relief in her eyes, something she was trying to hide, along with guilt as she saw his covered state. "Good Morning Mom."

"Good Morning, Sweetheart, did you sleep well?" He nodded.

"Fine." Not for the first time, Jaune thanked his coverings as he lied to his mother about the nightmares. She and their father both still easily felt like they failed him all those many months ago, and his night terrors were a still heavy reminder of their supposed failure. "What's for breakfast?"

"Sapphire's favorite." Ah, Waffles. He smirked, glad that they had finally gotten over trying to 'fix' things by making his favorite every morning. A family could not live of chicken nuggets alone. "You're friend is here as well." His smirk grew to a full smile and he quickly finished his ensemble with combat boots, covering their tops with the thick layers of folded pants and tightening the pant cuffs over. It was warm and stuffy, it was heavy and uncomfortable, it was oppressive and restricting.

Jaune finally felt like he was safe. His hand, unbeknownst to him, finally stopped shaking.

He walked down the stairs, his mother a few steps behind him. At the foot of the steps was a beautiful figure. Her lithe form accentuated in monochromatic highlights that was only offset by the almost purple highlight of morning light against her long wavy locks and her amber colored orbs that stood against pale flawless skin as she took in his sight. He had no doubt she had heard him coming, beneath her black ribbon he knew of her cat like ears. It was her one outstanding show of faunas heritage that despite the horrors that had been inflicted on his family and to his person, meant little at all to them.

For this girl, Blake Belladonna, was the sole reason he was walking down the steps of his home now. She had turned her back on the people who she had fought for and with, for him. She saved his life.

"Hey." He softly called out. She echoed it later with a wry sardonic smile. "Hungry? Mom is making waffles."

"Okay." She fell into step beside him. "Can I have a small bit of tuna on the side, Missus Arc?"

"Of course dear." Juniper rushed off to complete the meal, leaving the two alone.

"How long did you manage to repress it this morning?" Blake finally asked, sensing his unease.

"Eight seconds longer." Blake merely hummed, she glanced about before pulling off his hood, exposing his shaggy golden locks. Jaune held fast despite the wave of panic at being exposed but in a bizarre twist calmed the moment her hand gently caressed his scalp, him dryly thinking it odd that it was the cat petting the human.

"See, I told you, you can do it. It will take time, Jaune, but I know you'll be able to hold back Discompose indefinitely one day." The belief in her voice was palpable, making almost believe her.

"...Blake..."

"Don't Blake me, I know you can do it." Her hand slowed. "And when you can, you won't need me anymore." There was a hitch in her voice. It had been seventeen months since he had met Blake, fifteen since he counted her a friend and fourteen since her unlocking his Aura and their escape. Despite the short amount of time that seemed he still did not like when this beautiful friend got like this.

"Never." He turned to look at her, his gloved hand resting on her shoulder, closer to her neck than he meant but her golden eyes held him frozen. "Even if I fix this curse of mine, I'll never not need you Blake." His glove reached up and touched her cheek and the girl leaned slightly into it. "You're the best thing to happen to me, and even if I had to be given Discompose to meet you, I don't regret it."

"Jaune..." Something in her voice, the tingle that was sparked in the way she said it, was something all the more new to the lad, and had been happening more and more these last few months, even before they had learned of her immunity to his semblance. Her hand had slid down to his mask, her beautiful face seemingly all the more intense. His heart was beating so fast.

"Blake?" Juniper called out. "Are you and Nick taking Jaune to the field again?" By the time the matriarch of the Arcs walked in the two were separated by a wide margin, only Blake showing any sort of flushed nature as due to Jaune's clothes hiding his. "Everything okay?"

"F-fine! I'll go set the table Missus Arc!" Blake was gone in a flash, leaving a confused Jaune with his mother. Juniper looked back and forth between the two teens for a moment, her maternal instincts aroused.

"She is a good girl." Jaune could do nothing but nod, not trusting his voice to squeak. "And she cares a great deal about you."

"I feel the same." His mother's eyebrow rose subtly. "It's not just the fact she saved me, or that she can touch me without Discompose activating. She is..." Jaune look lost for a moment. "She's just Blake."

"... _Just_ Blake?"

"Yeah. I don't know how to describe it. She has her moods and all,and I'm worried she's only here to try and pay me back for what the Fang did to me, but... when she smiles, especially her laugh. I'm happy to hear them. It makes her... Blake. I... uh." He pulled his glasses off a moment and rubbed his face with a gloved palm. "I don't know what I'm saying. Never mind Mom. Don't mind me. I'll go wake up the girls." Jaune moved onwards, back up the steps to the second floor leaving his mother staring at his back, a small sad smile on her face clutching her hand over her weary heart.

"My baby boy's all grown up." She shook her head and headed to get the finishing touches done on Breakfast.

(-o0O0o-)

[SWIFFF!] The arc of Croeca Mors blurred even to Blake's vision as she and a broad shouldered man with blond hair and emerald eyes stood side by side, watching Jaune swing the sword with slight awe.

"Rargh!"

"Again." Nicholas barked.

[SWIFFF!] Once more the blade moved with astonishing force, bending the blades of grass before the teenaged boy from the force of the swing.

"RARGH!" The boy looked almost ready to faint and Blake started before Nicholas commanded again.

"Again."

[S-SWIFF!] The ancient blade cut vertically this time, the grass bending in towards the dark robed figure as the vacuum of the upwards thrust pulled at it. This time Jaune's form all but staggered. Nicholas seemingly snapped back from his hard staring and looked away guiltily.

"Take a break. Well done Jaune." The older man remarked as Blake walked forward, a canteen of water in hand.

"T-thanks Dad." Sweat poured from his brow and Jaune pulled down his mask to gasp at the cool air and the proffered water.

"Your attacks are powerful Jaune, but not fast." Blake commented as her friend's breathing calmed to a much more pleasant and normal pace. "However your stamina, even now in summer with all these heavy clothes on, is amazing. We just need to work on your speed."

"Right." Jaune remarked, pulling up his mask once more. "I feel like I got this down Dad, so... what's next?"

"Sadly Jaune, you're getting to the point I'm not certain I can help you much longer." Nickolas Arc remarked as he sat down. Jaune looked stunned if his heavily garbed body's reactions was any sign. "I might have wielded Croeca Mors for years but I switched to something else not long after I went to Beacon... Which is what I wanted to talk to you both today." The trio, mostly for Jaune's benefit, sat down in the shade of a tree near the clearing they had been training in. "I want you to go to Beacon."

"I thought you didn't want me to be a Huntsman?" Jaune remarked. His father nodded.

"That was before the attack. Before Blake saved you by unlocking your Aura and semblance, before you two escaped from the White Fang." Blake looked uneasy. "I'll never be able to repay you Blake for saving my boy, but in unlocking his Aura you opened a door he cannot close. With his semblance constantly active as well it worries me."

"I'm sorry." Blake's head was bowed, her ears flat. Jaune instantly took her hand, looking angrily at his father.

"Dad stop it!" Jaune's voice was low and full of threat. "I wouldn't be here if not for her!"

"And I know that." Nickolas picked up Blake's chin, the girl looking at him uneasily. "For that I would do anything to help you Blake, never think that we would feel any less than grateful to you. But the fact remains, in unlocking your aura Jaune, and this semblance, you can't go back to being a normal person anymore. The creatures of Grimm will target you for your Aura, coupled to a semblance that can bring a lot of negativity to those exposed to it, you need more than Blake and I can give you.

"You need to be trained by someone who knows Aura better than anyone I have ever heard of outside of those crazy Atlesian scientists up north. That person runs Beacon. I've spoken to him about the both of you." Blake and Jaune shared a look before accepting two letters. "His words were this. 'I would be delighted to help your son in any way I can. However it seems that Miss Belladonna would be a part of a packaged deal, but given what you have told me she would also be highly welcome at my school, despite her previous... let us say occupation. If they agree they merely need to show up on the first of August, and I will do everything in my power that by the time they finish beacon, Mr. Arc will have full control of his Semblance.'" Nickolas finished. "Kids, I know you both have been through a lot. Your my son, Jaune. You, Blake, might as well be my daughter." The faunas smiled in embarrassment at the thought, looking slyly at Jaune in the corner of her eye. The look was still caught by the elder Arc. 'Perhaps more than I realized.' "Whatever you both decide, your family here will accept it."

Somewhere deep in his heart he already knew what they would pick.

(-o0O0o-)

 _A Year and a Half before:_

" _Adam, why did you bring the kid?" The tall chain-sword wielding wolf remarked as he looked to his shorter superior. They had landed a few miles away to Jaune's reckoning and had entered an old frontier town that seemed to have been abandoned years ago._

" _I wasn't certain how far Atlas would have chased us so I needed a hostage. I forgot about him afterward." Adam looked to the young man, only a year or two younger than him. "But you know, he gives me an idea. His father annoyed me."_

 _Jaune looked up into the monstrous mask of the bull faunas before him and the sinister smirk below it._

" _Lets see just how much a human can take before they break. It will be good training for the new recruits to watch. They need to see that humans can suffer the same way we faunas do everyday at their hands..." Tears began to run down the boys face as his mind seemed to connect what was being said. "We can send video of it to his father for his arrogance in facing me."_

" _Adam..." A ebony haired girl, seemingly Jaune's age softly called out, her unspoken question seemed to make the White Fang leader's mood sour more._

" _Blake, take him to the cells. Make sure he eats." Adam turned away. "He'll need his strength." Jaune was gently picked up by his bound arms and lead away by this 'Blake' and placed in a old cell in the dilapidated old Sheriff's office the terrorists had made into their base. He was left alone for a few minutes before the girl returned and slid a plate of... something into his cage._

" _Please... Blake was it, please don't do this." He pleaded. Her golden eyes held much sorrow as she picked at her own food._

" _For what it's worth, I'm sorry." His panicked sobbing in his cell did little to ease the conscience of his jailor that day. It was hard to feel you were morally in the right when your leader was off preparing who knows what to a scared boy no older than herself._

 _Blake's ears flattened and she threw her food aside in disgust. There was no way she could eat knowing what was coming. Was this really her father and mother's dream?_

(-o0O0o-)

Next Chapter: To disturb the composure of; agitate; perturb;

This is a story that has been around, toyed with and fiddled with since my time in the Naruto fictions. There is even a story very much this in Naruto that I got the idea from. However I haven't seen it touched in years, and so I thought about this as a possible semblance due to something horrible happening to Jaune for some time.

Team Ideas:

Blake, Arc, Ren, Nora - BARN/Barn

Schnee, Rose, Yang, Nikos. - SYRN/Siren

OR

Weiss, Yang, Valkyrie, Nikos WYVN/Wyvern

Blake B, Jaune A, Ren L, Ruby R BARR/Bar (like SSSN/Sun) or BARL/Barrel


	2. Chapter 2

Some semblances are oft crafted by the soul of the person, yet some are shaped by the experiences of their owner. In that case it can be either a blessing or a curse and for one Jaune Arc, when captured by the White Fang, he learns his Discompose certainly seems like the latter.

Pain is Merely a Touch Away.

By

Hibiki

Imagine you could have the rights to RWBY, but for the rest of your life, you would have to clean up every mess or problem created by every Rooster Teeth 'Million Dollars, But..." challenge accepted. Would it be worth it? Not for me.

RWBY is created by Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.

Chapter Two: To disturb the composure of; agitate; perturb:

 _A Year and Five Months Ago._

 _Pain. He felt nothing but a pure agonizing wall of pain from his restrained arm down to the bloody mess that was his right hand. The appendage had been stabbed clean through the palm and deep into the wood of the chair in one horrible move. For a boy, who to be fair had been sheltered by his entire family, the continued act of the faunas named Adam and his entourage putting sewing needles into the joints of said hand produced his worst screams yet. It was the Bull's favorite act to do as of late for the group he was preforming his pièce de résistance for. He even had the recruits help by pushing the needles in further and around in said joints, getting a feel for the pain they could inflict on a human and for Adam to see their intent if they would be willing to go the distance._

 _Through the tears long since gathered in his eyes, Jaune could still make out all of the people around him. For the most part, the Grimm masked faunas seemed indifferent to it all, while others, the scary ones, seemed very entranced. There was a small percentage who could not take the image of the boy being tortured and were dismissed from his sight but not one of these 'unbelievers' ever spoke out against the tortures happening._

 _Not even the girl who had patched him up every day since it began. The cat faunas hiding just barely in the rim of his fading vision through beaten and blackened eyes. Jaune learned quickly never to ask her for anything, to never say her name in the Bulls presence. Adam didn't feel the human worthy of speaking to 'His Darling'. He also learned that the only reason the bull had not cut out his tongue for the supposed offense was he wanted Jaune's father to hear his son's screams on their daily recordings Adam sent his family_

 _The screams grew worse as Adam took an evil looking pair of scissors and began trimming at his pinky finger, slivers at a time._

(-o0O0o-)

Present Day:

Jaune's hand had shook since they had arrived in Vale. He hadn't been around this many people in a year. Not since he and herself had fled the White Fang. Even Blake's usually calming presence and grasp was not helping the quickly overwhelmed young man and she had them quickly flee the main roads, until they came across a small cafe by the Valerian Harbor. She was proud of him though, despite his fear, he hadn't once had his semblance spike, even when the faunas waitress, a dark skinned panther, had served them. Despite him and his family saying they had no hatred of faunas, even after the horrible things done to Jaune, she felt silly even thinking they weren't truthful. It once again made her remember why she betrayed the Fang in saving this man.

It was his infinite capacity to care, no matter what happened to him, he never once stopped worrying about his family, about those his semblance could hurt, about her. Jaune was the living embodiment of caring. It was in his caring of her, even when he was at his most injured, that helped her realize that Adam wasn't the 'passion' she had assumed he was. No, it was through Jaune and his treatment by Adam and the others that she realized Adam was living just to 'spite' humanity. It was what made her realize that the White Fang and Adam himself had lost their way; and what had her awaken the man's Aura to save his life rather than let him continue to suffer due to her fear of the man she had thought she once loved. But she couldn't have known that despite Jaune's nature, due to him being been horribly hurt for months on end, that the pain had buried in so deep that it had become a solid part of him no matter how much he had tried to hide it, until it polluted his semblance into what it is. No matter what he, his family, even her own mother said, Blake Belladonna was the reason Jaune Arc had any darkness in him at all. So despite Jaune's willingness to forgive her, she owed him. But even further still, she had grown to care for him back.

It had started even as far back as when she had tried to staunch the blood from his wounds after he had tried pleading to her during his latest... session, talking to him to try and get him to focus on anything but the pain wrought from Adam's monstrous actions, Jaune got her to open up about herself. Things she hadn't even talked to Ilia about. Her hopes, her dreams. Those few moments when they were truly alone and could speak about their fears. It shook her to her core to learn his greatest wasn't dying. In those three months of hell, he had come to accept, and perhaps even secretly wish for, death. No, his greatest fear was leaving his family behind in pain because of him and Blake, his friend, in the clutches of a monster she was frighted of leaving.

It had been her breaking point. She couldn't take him hurting anymore, she was tired of hiding and cowering from Adam. She barely remembered taking him into her arms, so delirious from blood loss and the latest round of torture he didn't realize she was chanting what had come unbidden from her subconscious. His Aura sputtered to life, then roared a brilliant white that was sure to catch the guards attention. Part of her wondered if she hadn't doomed them both with such a flashy display when, to her horror, his Aura's color... changed. As his wounds began to close he began to shout and a burst of his now sickening red black Aura enveloped their camp around the old Sheriffs office. At first there were screams of alarm but they quickly turned into cries of pain. She gathered up Jaune, keeping Gambol Shroud out as she raced out of the cells and out of the building into the morning sun. What she found was pure bedlam. The White Fang members were all clutching at various parts of their bodies, some screaming their lungs out, others clawing at their flesh as if trying to remove something buried under the skin. Those with claws were well on their way to bleeding out in horribly gruesome fashions by the time the two stumbled past. The few still moving she later gathered were ones farthest from the initial blast of Jaune's semblance. Much to the two escapee's horror, Adam was one of them. The bull turned, clutching his hand as it shook in tandem to Jaune's, his masked face set in a rigor of anger and hurting. He began reaching for his blade.

(-o0O0o-)

Blake shook herself back into the present as Jaune looked on cautiously. She gave his hand a squeeze, and his partially uncovered face a smile to know she was alright. She glanced down at her scroll and sighed at the time before finishing her tea. Jaune's coffee was quickly downed and the two rushed off towards the transit center to Beacon.

"You _do_ have your sick bag, right Jaune?" Fully covered as he was she couldn't help but laugh at the obvious deadpan expression he gave her. At her laugh all he could do was shake his head at her amusement to his expense.

"You do realize motion sickness is more common than you realize, right?" She gave a small laugh behind her hand, trying to keep from antagonizing him more before she couldn't resist another jab.

"Don't worry, your mom gave me extra just in case you forgot." His shoulders slumped as she giggled softly. Through his shades Jaune watched her with a warm secretive smile. He was glad she wasn't thinking back on those times. He hated not seeing that beautiful smile on her face.

(-o0O0o-)

The airship shifted beneath their feet as the disembarked from Vale to head to Beacon, and Jaune was suddenly glad his mother had packed extra sick bags. He carefully pulled down his face mask and silently took a bag from Blake's offering hand. If only he could use his aura control like most hunters could to control the rolling of his stomach. However every ounce of it was poured into keeping his semblance's second ability at bay. If he let even a touch slip through, he had no doubt that pain would kill everyone on board. It was enough to make him feel sick...er. BRLRG... He sped away from Blake, ignoring the hologram of some Goodwitch, stumbling past two girls talking right in the way to the trash can in the corner as he quickly filled up his sick bag to beyond capacity. Thankfully he made it to the trashcan with little splatter. That did not stop his ears from hearing the two girls shriek about vomit on their shoes.

"U-ugh... So... embarrassing." Blake was laughing again, he didn't need faunas hearing to know that.

(-o0O0o-)

Next Chapter: The Means to Destroy Capacity for Collected Thought or Decisive Action.

AN: If you haven't caught on the chapter names are hints to his Semblance and the definition of Discompose from various different sources. You also got a glimpse of the worst case scenario of Jaune's semblance in this story. However the real problem has yet to come about, the reasoning for his clothes as they are. A very short chapter but a could leaping off point. In a way we've gotten both of their sides of parts of what happened and some reasons for Jaune's more noticeable ticks.

REVIEWS:

bossbomb135: Thank you, I will try.

Banryuwielder244: Third person for the BARN/SYRN combo. While it's true having them separate does stink, it would give reason for the team and King of the North's reasoning for some good Weiss/Blake interaction to happen as Nora wouldn't allow being on a different team from Ren slow her down from being together, but not together-together, you know? It WOULD force the teams to connect similarly as they would in cannon. However I have a vague plan still due to Nora on why they would interact with their sister team. Not to mention Jaune needing some testosterone in his life, even if that source IS Ren the stoic monk. I think this set up for teams is probably going to be the set pattern.

Baron Bolt: Suspense hopefully. And another one for BARN/SYRN

BukkakeNoJutsu: Thanks!

KING IN THE N0RTH: That is actually a point I'm trying to keep hidden until a reveal here soon. Jaune doesn't like his semblance. Blake doesn't like his semblance. To Jaune it's a curse that he fears, for Blake it's guilt that she was the one who gave it to him. I also see your point about Weiss and Blake needing to be on the same team, that actually IS a good dynamic, character growth, and tension device when needed at times. The problem is... I have a way around those little tidbits through Nora and Jaune and more to the point and reason, the bloody team names which already have driven me mad in trying to find something that at least as apt as STRQ. I only managed those two options with BARN/SYRN or WYVN/BARL without having to resort to ripping apart other teams who are irritating 1D characters I dislike from the Beacon Arc or having to add in Ocs (I steer away from Ocs if I can help it now a days).

Guest: Barn and Siren is seems to be heading towards.


	3. Chapter 3

Some semblances are oft crafted by the soul of the person, yet some are shaped by the experiences of their owner. In that case it can be either a blessing or a curse and for one Jaune Arc, when captured by the White Fang, he learns his Discompose certainly seems like the latter.

Pain is Merely a Touch Away.

By

Hibiki

Imagine you could have the rights to RWBY, but for the rest of your life, you would have to clean up every mess or problem created by every Rooster Teeth 'Million Dollars, But..." challenge accepted. Would it be worth it? Not for me.

RWBY is created by Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.

Chapter Three: The Means to Destroy Capacity for Collected Thought or Decisive Action.

(-o0O0o-)

Jaune quickly made his way off the vessel and to a nearby trashcan to remove the last contents of his overwrought stomach. In some small way he was glad his action was causing his fellow teenagers to keep their distance. He watched with horrid fascination as a sickly reddish black aura slid unwanted down his arm towards a small unsuspecting spider crawling away from the quivering hand that had disturbed it. Just as he managed to wrangle his control back, the inky blood aura enveloped the arachnid.

"...Jaune?" He started, looking up into Blake's worried eyes. He quickly let go the breath he had been holding, easing his ironclad grip on the trash bin.

"I'm okay." He responded to her unasked question. "Sorry to worry you."

"It's fine. Honest, Jaune." She glanced to her scroll. "We have a small amount of time before the admissions. Let's find a quiet spot, okay?" He nodded.

"Sure. You want to start reading that new book, right?" She nodded deftly, just enough to for Jaune to recognize her ears twitching at the thought of devouring a new book. The two slid away from the airship, heading to a nearby bench.

Behind the trashcan a dying spider lay twitching in agony.

(-o0O0o-)

The two of them had only barely sat down before Blake was knee deep into reading her book with a look that said nothing but rapt attention. For Jaune, it allowed his as of late favorite past time. Her golden amber eyes followed the words on the page with deft fluidity as she relished the written word with as much fervor as he did watching her do so. Being in the open did mean they didn't have much in the way of shade, and the feeling of the harsh day sun pounding on his hood was rather distracting so he turned away from his Blake watching long enough to notice two girls arguing about something about twenty feet away from his companion and himself. The white haired one was waving around a vial of what appeared to be dust so fine the cap was flinging it around as she waved her arms wildly arguing with the red caped girl. 'She's going to set something off flinging dust around like that.' Jaune thought to himself. As if prophetic, moments later the young girl sneezed and set off the cloud of dust in the air with a fiery explosion. The vial of red dust landed just inches before him. Jaune looked over, Blake hadn't even noticed the loud boom let alone the vial of dust. He stood and collected it, deciding to see if he could stem the tide as the two began yelling at one another again. Walking forwards he began to hear the tidbits of their conversation.

"...So watch where you're going!" Yeesh the taller girl was loud.

"Hey, I said I was sorry princess." The smaller, apparently younger looking girl had lost all sweetness at the constant barrage of negativity coming from the older, yet somehow less mature figured one.

"It's Heiress actually." Blake had stepped up with him, shocking the lad. She wasn't much for arguments, usually preferring to stay out of the limelight. "Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world." Miss Schnee seemed to straighten her back at hearing all of this supposed praise, but Jaune knew Blake and her moods. He knew she would soon come back with a biting remark.

"Finally some recognition-!" Blake cut her off.

"The same company infamous for it's controversial labor forces and questionable business partners." The heiress' face contorted into a fracas of anger and shock as she tried to shriek out a rebuttal to Blake's snark. The smaller black haired girl's giggles at her tormentors only made the Schnee more angry and in a huff she snatched the bottle he had picked up from his hand and marched off, her servants quickly grabbing the fallen cases of dust and items from around them to hurry off. The girl still by them called after the heiress, futilely he might add, trying to sooth her ruffled feathers. However she then turned to... just him.

Blake had already turned away, apparently done with the moment. He noticed her stalking away, hips swaying unconsciously as she returned to her book on the bench. He started again when with a flump the younger girl slid to her knees before in a complete crumpling display of flexibility fell back looking to the sky with obvious sorrow. Jaune was caught between his friend and the desire to help this girl. Fear took hold, and he began to quietly walk after Blake.

"...welcome to beacon..." It was so quiet had he not been trying to silently slip away he would have missed hearing the utterly forlorn mutterings of the girl. His hand shook as he paused. He sighed and looked to Blake, noticing she was back into her book, the rest of the world forgotten. He sighed again and his hand clenched into a fist for a moment.

"Hey." He called out, reaching down to help her up with his left hand. "I'm Jaune." She looked stunned for a moment, taking in his covered appearance, before a small grateful smile appeared on her face and she accepted his hand.

"Ruby." She replied and he pulled her up, however due to the awkward way he tried to do so, she tripped on some rubble from the previous explosion. Jaune reacted without thinking and quickly caught her left elbow with his right hand to try steady her. Her right landed on his heavily clothed chest a moment later. His stomach was still not agreeing with him for the air travel and retaliated against the quick movements by trying to pull itself through his esophagus.

He and Ruby groaned in unison, heaving against the feeling of throwing up before he bolted away from her to puke in the grass off to the side. Ruby fared better, merely leaning heavily on her 'normal' knees as the feeling quickly vanished and she rose long before he did.

"You okay, Jaune?" Ruby asked as he finally rose, wiping his mouth with a towel from his pack before replacing his mask once more.

"Yeah. Sorry about that."

"My sister is the one you'll need to apologize to, Vomit boy." He snapped his shaded blues to her laughing silvers.

"Motion sickness is a very common problem!" Deep down he was glad he got the girl smiling, even if it was at the expense of his own person. But maybe... could she laugh maybe a BIT less?

(-o0O0o-)

"RUBY!" was only slightly louder than "JAUNE!" as the awkward duo wandered into the main courtyard of Beacon. The Blonde who had been standing with Ruby on the airship was waving her over and Blake from the other direction holding a hand up.

"Oh hey, I gotta go, I'll see you after ceremony? Bye!" With that Ruby disappeared in a shower of rose petals. Jaune blinked then turned to head to his friend, nearly running into a red haired girl in bronze armor.

"I'm sorry!" They announced together.

"My fault. I should have watched where I was going." Jaune put his hand behind his head bashfully.

"No it was mine, I shouldn't have stepped forward when I did." She replied amiably, sort of shyly holding her left wrist with her right hand.

"Let's just say it's both our faults and let bygones be bygones, Miss... uh?" Jaune paused trying to see if the girl would say her name. She did, but only after smiling so bright it felt like the sun had risen a second time.

"Pyrrha. Pyrrha Nikos. And that would be fine by me...?" Pyrrha trailed off so he could finish.

"Jaune. Jaune Arc. Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Nikos."

"Please, call me Pyrrha."

"Call me Jaune then. Once again a pleasure to meet you, Pyrrha." He vainly tried to ignore the rabble of the crowd around him as it seemed to feel like all of their eyes were on him. He clenched his right hand against the shakes, trying to ignore the feeling through force.

"Likewise!"

"Come on Jaune." Blake popped up, as if from nowhere. "Sorry to interrupt, but the headmaster is about to speak."

"Okay. Pyrrha, this is my friend Blake. Blake, this is Pyrrha Nikos."

"Nice to meet you Ms. Nikos." Blake announced while snaking her arm around his and began to pull him away. "But we should be going."

"Right, bye Pyrrha." He barely had a chance to wave as Blake pulled him away with force.

"Nice meeting you!" The nice spartan called out.

(-o0O0o-)

It took everything in her power and then patience more to keep her ears from laying flat on her head in annoyance. Not only did he wander off on her with the little red girl, he was over there obliviously flirting with THE Pyrrha Nikos of all people. Next thing she knew he would be serenading that Schnee girl or something equally distasteful. She almost pouted. However Blake Belladonna doesn't pout.

"Blake are you okay?" No. She wasn't going to dignify it with a response. She was just fine. She wasn't the one going around and being salacious with half of Beacon within minutes of ditching her best friend!

"-Yeah and we can paint our nails, try on clothes, and talk about cute boys like... tall, dark, and mysterious over there." The two dark clothed persons looked over to Weiss as she began another loud rant and pointing over her shoulder at Jaune.

"Really?" Ruby seemed really happy about it and despite her best intentions Blake fought the surge of something green and covetous filling her chest. Thankfully, her attention was soon brought to the man standing in front of them all and she poked Jaune in the ribs, perhaps a bit harder than normal to get his attention. He gave a wince and looked to her as she tilted her head forwards.

"Ahem..." Ozpin cleared his throat. "I'll... Keep this brief."

(-o0O0o-)

Blake couldn't keep her cold shoulder act up long with Jaune. He wore her down with being the same caring loveable dork that she had known, not that he ever really realized WHY she was upset in the first place, until they spent the rest of the day lounging under a tree until it cooled enough for Jaune to get the late day training in. As the sun began to set the two made their way towards the area set up for the students. The two of them had talked about it, both of the pair being equally worried about any potential issues with Jaune being surrounded by countless others but short of sleeping outside they would do the best they could. Therefore it was with much trepidation that they reached the auditorium. Ruby and her sister waved over at them, however they paused when the blonde figure that had been standing besides Professor Ozpin earlier that day appeared before the monochromatic duo.

"Mr. Arc and Miss. Belladonna, you have been assigned a room. Please follow me." Glynda commented on, walking past the two without any more said. The two looked to each other, slightly intimidated but mostly relieved, and followed.

"Hey Jaune." A voice called out. It seemed Ruby and her sister had also followed them. "You two aren't in trouble, are you?"

"Hey Ruby. No we're not. Uhm... Blake this is Ruby, she is the one you helped with Weiss on the path here and her sister... Sorry we haven't been introduced and about your shoes earlier." Yang seemed to wave off the apology as she smirked and pointed a thumb at herself.

"I'm Yang! Nice to meet you too, vomit boy, Blake."

"Nice to meet you, Yang, Ruby." Blake was about as sociable as she gets. Must have been comfortable. Yang smiled honestly and put her hand out to shake his, only she quickly stopped smiling when he didn't take it.

"Um Nice to meet you too, Yang. Sorry, I uh, I really can't shake your hand." Jaune softly mentioned scooting back a little from the hand, fearful.

"Why is that, do you think I'm not good enough to shake your hand, is that it? I saw Blake put her hands all over you earlier." The blonde girls eyes flashed red a moment.

"Miss Xiao-long, control yourself." Miss Goodwitch interceded, pushing her glasses up her face. "It's due to Mr. Arc's unique semblance that he cannot touch you. It is also the reason we are removing him from the auditorium at this time. Ms. Belladonna has the unique ability to be unaffected by his semblance and therefore the two of them are being assigned a room earlier than the other initiates. There is nothing to worry about. Now, children, say your goodbyes and then we must be off. It is almost curfew."

"Sorry Yang. I didn't mean to offend." Jaune apologized but Yang shook her head.

"No, my bad. I can get kinda hot headed. We're cool!" She waved goodbye. "You kids have a good night! See you tomorrow!" She grabbed Ruby by her pajama strap.

"Yang wait! Stop! I can walk on my own! Bye Blake, Jaune, Miss. Goodwitch! Night~!" The young Rose's farewell echoed in the quiet hall long after she left, leaving the remaining two to follow the stern deputy headmistress towards their new accommodations.

(-o0O0o-)

"I have heard you occasionally have nightmares, Mr. Arc, and loose control of your semblance. Therefore the headmaster has provided this room for you and your team's use. The extra room built in is meant for our later years as a married dorm but should provide you with ample room in case of this happening." Jaune looked down, embarrassed for the extra need due to his problems.

"Do Beacon students get married that often you need rooms like this?" Blake mentioned stoically, though her thoughts were betrayed by the faint dusting of color on her pale cheeks. Looking around it seemed like the room was pretty standard but the extra door off to one side was open, showing a large room with a bigger bed inside.

"Many teammates spend years in close proximity of one another, in life and death situations and further still, in everyday life. It's in some ways not uncommon for partners to fall in love and marry one another." She narrowed her eyes slightly as she thought about something. "or more."

She shook it off and continued."So Beacon supplies rooms like this. Now I'm hope you two have more tact than to sleep with one another without proper protection." Blake and Jaune choked on spit as the insinuation rolled over them. "While we supply rooms for married couples, we do not offer babysitters." The two were as gobsmacked by her words, redder than a certain reaper's cloak, and grasping at words worse than a certain angry heiress as they tried to clear the implication. Glynda closed the door on the two of them, her face expressionless.

Quietly she walked away before she pulled out her scroll, dialed a number. After a few rings a voice picked up.

"Glynda?" She smiled finally, unable to hold in her mirth.

"Put me down for those two to be together by second year."

"Ah, how is my son and future daughter-in-law?" Nicholas remarked.

(-o0O0o-)

Next Chapter: To Disturb the Composure of; Disconcert

AN: Weeeeeeeeee. Between work being hell, Easter, and the odd thought processes due to watching the old volumes again to get a feel for things, this one started off as a real rough ride. Hard to wrangle but as we moved past the airship the more I felt at ease with this. Not to say getting certain characters right was easy either. Blake might be a little OOC due to Jaune well being Jaune. But hey, a little license is required for doing stories like this.

Itz Syndrome: Thanks for the interest, it's still hard to pull the chapters out at the moment, but as we get further from the norm, aka, the canon; the hopefully the easier this will be.

Surviversp: Thanks and yes, I like me some Knightshade.

Pyrothekid: I've seen similar Jaune captured/injured/something by the White Fang, but never have I seen a Jaune tortured by the White Fang. So I hope it's relatively unique even if I am using an idea for a semblance from a Naruto possible bloodline limit.

X3runner: Blake didn't just heal him. She was his only source of anything beyond hate and fear for three months of hell. For Blake, Jaune was the last piece of hope she hadn't become a monster like Adam and the others had. It's not a happy reason for them to get together and that will bring bumps along the way. As for the Bleach and soul eater... I'm lost sorry. I don't know either well at all. Bleach put me to sleep, and can't remember soul eater for the life of me.

FlankerFan: Thanks. As of this moment the only person in the world who can even touch Jaune is Blake. Now if this changes in the future depends on a few things. And no, what happened to Adam is the additional part of the change I made to the original idea that you, yes you are correct, mentioned. (agreed I miss those days as well.)

Digimak2: Ouch a 6/10? Game/movie score that's not too bad but if not those two, ouch. Not to worry. There is a way I will be going back to those horrible times with Jaune and Blake. The rushed feeling might still be there, but I will build up this story as I go to hopefully get past that feeling into a proper story. Outside of the occasional bad grammar that is always something with my stories at first. Thanks for the opinion!

Reishin Amara: Hey Amara, agreed, I get the niftiness of his semblance and all, and even sort of wrote how I think it will work in the Reunion one shot. But that's why we write fan fiction, for when things don't work for us, we can change it. Just sometimes the show/book/movie goes jumps the shark so hard it's impossible to keep going. I'm hoping RWBY doesn't do that.

Eramis8 Getting to hear a little bit about the way that they escaped has given me some ideas about his semblance. Can't wait for how you make the team names. Hope as the story progresses it becomes more clear. Teams are already figured but need to have some

Jauneforever: *looks around before holding his finger to his lips.* SHHHH! Yes there will be, as more things come to light as the story progresses, there will be opposition to Jaune and Blake's... 'relationship'. I can't say anything more than that.

Majin Othinus: I am trying to be subtle and not throw out all the semblance at once. I've seen writers do that and it makes the story rather bland, especially when it feels like they gave him every supposed superpower or problem all at once. A nice even balance, keep the character still recognizable, and change things enough to be different than the original story to not get bogged down. Also sorry, it SHOULD be one week a piece between any RWBY works, so if a one shot pops up in my head, it takes over that week, if Extra Scoop gets an idea or even one of my other more in Hiatus ones get an idea, I will update those. However this one seems like the one to be updated more often. It's farther removed than the others. Meaning I have more fun and less worry with this than I do with the others.

ice of darkness: I have no earthly idea about Bleach at all, sorry. However I DO have an idea on how this power can change as the story progresses. Hopefully I can get through it all to that point.


	4. Chapter 4

Some semblances are oft crafted by the soul of the person, yet some are shaped by the experiences of their owner. In that case it can be either a blessing or a curse and for one Jaune Arc, when captured by the White Fang, he learns his Discompose certainly seems like the latter.

Pain is Merely a Touch Away.

By

Hibiki

Imagine you could have the rights to RWBY, but for the rest of your life, you would have to clean up every mess or problem created by every Rooster Teeth 'Million Dollars, But..." challenge accepted. Would it be worth it? Not for me.

RWBY is created by Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.

Next Chapter: To Disturb the Composure of; Disconcert

(-o0O0o-)

The sun had just finished setting when, fresh from the shower, Jaune laid down alone on the large bed of his new room. His laid there looking at it's blank ceiling wearing nothing but some pumpkin Pete's boxers and a small smile. It was one of his few guilty pleasures that had sprouted after his time with the White Fang. Given the need to cover up constantly to keep the worst of his semblance at bay, the resulting counter could only be achieved with the benefit only a large empty room could produce. It was weird but being naked, or at least as much as he was willing to be, was freedom. One that he didn't often get to enjoy anymore. Blake was settling in the other area on one of the three beds situated in the regular dorm room, leaving him to think about things.

So here he was at Beacon. Honestly he had hoped to become a Huntsman before the White Fang, given his dream had been to save people and be a hero to the masses like his forefathers. After his time spent with the radical group, that dream had changed slightly. While yes, he still wanted to be a Huntsman, Blake's influence had molded a slightly more narrowed view. People could and would be saved, but it was the inequality that he would fight. To give the suffering of those that could not speak for themselves a voice that had become his goal as a huntsman. To remove the issue that had created the current White Fang so no one else would ever end up like him. To keep another from a lonely cursed existence. Jaune's smile faded. The empty room did little to improve his mood now and before he realized it he was reaching for his scroll and dialing a number, opening the scroll wide for a video call.

"Jaune?" His smile returned as he was greeted by the face of his mother.

"Hey mom." Juniper's expression was happy, but he could see the gathering of tears in her eyes. Behind his fading smile his heart broke and a familiar feeling grew. Regret.

"Oh my baby boy! H-how are you? How is... H-how..." Juniper's calm facade quickly broke down, and Jaune knew why. No matter how much she loved him, his mother was terrified of touching him after his return home and the... _Accident_. She never got near him unless he was covered head to toe. This was the first time she had seen his face completely free of coverings in a year. "I-I'm sorry. I-! I just m-miss... Miss being able to SEE you like this in person, to take you into my arms, t-to hold..." She looked away as the guilt she had been trying to hide when he had been home came breaking forth. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!"

"Mom. M-mom!" His throat itched something fierce as he spoke to get her attention, and he was blinking away tears of his own. "I understand. I... don't hold it against you." He felt more guilt at lying and even more horrible at feeling colored of his mother's actions despite it was beyond her control. "How is everyone doing?" Juniper took the out gracefully, trying to push past the pain they both knew was keenly felt. She quickly pushed back her guilt and tears behind her usual cheerful self, quickly dabbing at her eyes with a well placed tissue.

"Y-you're father is trying to keep the girls happy, they miss their big brother and sister." Jaune had to smile a little at that thought. One would think with seven other females (their mother and six other siblings), the Arc girls would have hated another around, but shockingly the introverted and quiet dark haired girl was well accepted by his little sisters. Many of the Arc sisters sneaking into Blake's room to hear the cat faunas read out loud some of her, thankfully less racy, books before Juniper chased them to bed.

Blake truly had become a part of the Arc household in her own very Blake way, his sisters who he pointedly refused to be near for a while, his friend had become his only conduit to them until they learned the gist of his semblance. It was lonely existence, feeling like mealtimes were to be the only time the entire Arc clan could be found near him. It rarely felt much different with him still hidden away in those many layers of cloth, unable to reach out and even take a hand for comfort. For a young man who had grown up in a large loving family that was the truly most painful thing of all. "So... tell me about Beacon."

Jaune gave a small sigh, hoping that sometime in the future when he gained complete control of his semblance, that gulf that had developed between him and his family could be removed. He began to talk about his day, unknowing that in the room over his friend was doing the same.

(-o0O0o-)

"So how is Jaune taking Vale and Beacon?" Kali Belladonna was nothing if not nosy, her daughter thought to herself.

"He had a small panic attack in Vale and then again on the airship to Beacon, but he seemed to be doing fine once he was here." Hmph, more than fine. Her, for the moment, uncovered ears flicked in agitation at the thought of him talking to all those other girls. Kali raised an eyebrow at the action but continued on her train of thought.

"That's good. It gives me hope that one day you both will be able to come down and see your father and I." Blake nodded, knowing the urge was just as great for her to visit home and see her mother and father. Yet, the thought of leaving Jaune alone hurt her in ways that made the pain of missing her family not nearly as riveting as it had been moments prior. Blake gently nodded.

"Yes. I'm hoping that Professor Ozpin can help him. If everything goes well, I can see if he would be up to it. He's interested in seeing Kuo Kana."

"Dear, I've talked to the boy. He's interested in anything that means something to you." Blake's cheeks reddened at the not so subtle accusation. Her mother's other eyebrow rose to meet the other seeing her normally composed daughter's hackles raise.

"Mom!" She all but hissed.

"Blake." Kali's expression turned solemn. "I know that you two met in... unfortunate circumstances." It was as close to the whole 'My daughter had been part of a terrorist organization that tortured and killed people.' she was willing to broach at the moment. "But I have to wonder how you feel about him." Blake's ire was replaced with confusion.

"Why?" Blake's voice wavered.

"Because that young man gave your father and I our daughter back." Blake looked away as her ire was replaced with shame. "He got you to call us, to reconnect with us and while that made us so happy to know you were okay, it worried me." Blake looked back, confounded. Her parent explained.

"You have always been so determined to do everything on your own. Even when you where a child, the moment you learned to walk you were off doing your own things. When Ghira and I did our rally's you would be there with a sign _you_ had made and saying what _you_ wanted. You've always been very self reliant, much to your mother's concerns." Kali laughed a little at the remembrance and Blake felt a little embarrassed at the frank opinion of her past actions.

"However," Kali soon refocused and her following words chilled Blake's blood. "The only time this changed was when you went off with Tarus after Sienna took over from your father. Those words you spoke that time were so unlike you, so angry and spiteful. It was as if Adam was talking through you-." Kali was cutoff as Blake responded vehemently.

"Jaune is nothing like Adam!" Blake all but shouted, before she calmed and looked to the door separating her from her partner. After a moment she quietly returned to the call. "He isn't. Mom, even after everything he had gone through, he wasn't worried about himself, about hurting those that had hurt him. All he worried about was his family... about me! He knew that I was miserable about how I left you and dad, he didn't stop until he found a way for us to talk. That's just who he is. He's sweet, honest, caring! He's nothing like what Adam turned into, so please! Please don't ever think of Jaune as the same as... him." Kali looked wide eyed a moment then gave a large smile.

"I'm glad to hear that. That sounds like my Blake." Blake smiled happily at seeing her mother's expression. "And I'm very happy see that you love that boy the same he does you." Blake's face turned the color of a certain reaper's cloak as she sputtered.

"MOM!" Kali laughed at her daughter's distress. "I... I d-don't..."

"Blake, don't run from this." Blake shivered, looking to her lap in frustration. "You may not be ready to hear this, but it's obvious that Jaune means a lot to you. I like him. Even your father likes him. I've had the opportunity to speak with Juniper and Nickolas, the Arcs all adore you. No one you know will say otherwise if you two decide on becoming more. The only people who are keeping you two from each other is each other."

"What if Jaune doesn't think that?" Blake looked up. "How can he, Mom? I was the one. I was the one who captured him, I gave him to Adam. I'm the guilty one! Me! If he had never met me, he never would be suffering like he is, and don't say he isn't."

"I know, Blake. But we don't know that if you hadn't been there if Jaune would still be alive or not. We can't dwell on what if's. All we can do, is move forward. That's what he is doing, day by day. Because of you, Jaune has a chance to get better. A chance to one day live a normal life and it's because my little girl took her own path and did what she felt was right."

Blake nodded, even if deep down she wasn't certain she could believe it all to be true.

(-o0O0o-)

Jaune looked up from his scroll, still staring at it even though his conversation was long done, as a soft knock interrupted his contemplation.

"It's open, Blake." Jaune did nothing to cover up as the girl entered the room, she had seen him worse. However, as the soft moonlight crept through the window showing her in her Mistralian styled pajamas, the beauty of his pale skinned friend was apparent. He soon noticed her scroll in her hand.

"Mom says hi." His friend announced. He held up his scroll in reply.

"Ditto." She smiled and walked over, sitting beside him, her hand reaching for his shoulder. For a moment he froze, worried that his semblance would kick in, then relaxed moments later when her soft hand graced him. Almost instantly his arms wrapped her up and pulled her near him. Her other hand wrapped around his torso as he held her.

"She cried because of me." He muffled into Blake's shoulder as he hugged her for dear life. "I hate that."

"It's okay Jaune. We're here so it won't happen again." He seemed to calm as she ran her hand down his back, both of them long since use to the myriad of scars that ran under her comforting embrace. "Ozpin will help us, and when he does... maybe you'd come visit home with me?" Jaune's blue eyes met her amber ones with a surprised look, leaving her feeling a bit vulnerable at their close proximity. "Mom, mentioned it, given Dad's job he can't really leave so... Maybe your family would like to come down and meet mine?" The surprised look changed into of a subdued understanding.

"Right, the family." Blake wondered about the pause, though forgot it as he leaned back onto his arms. The change in position made her head lean against his chest, her ears listening to his heartbeat as her own raced. "It's a nice thought. The girls would love to see Menagerie." Blake made a muted noise of agreement, fidgeting in the odd position.

"Lay down." He quirked an eyebrow, but did as asked. Blake resumed her previous spot, this time with a smile.

"Better?" He asked, getting a nod that made her faunas traits tickle his collarbone. He reached out and began to gently run his left hand through her hair, getting a soft coo of contentment from Blake. "Good."

"Mm, you'll put me to sleep if you do that." The opposition to him continuing was weak and they both knew it as he continued.

"I won't mind, it's nice sleeping with you." Her ear flicked at his words as his eyes widened. "Uh... next to you. I mean, you know, not like that, not that that probably wouldn't-uh, please ignore me?"

"You're lucky this feels too nice to have to get up and hit you." She snuggled closer, pulling up the cover over them both. He resumed his action and she felt the day catch up to her. "I'm just... going... to take a... a nap." She yawned gently, closing her eyes.

"Goodnight Blake." Jaune softly uttered, feeling the same pull to Morpheus that she did. Incoherent mumbling was the reply.

The two drifted off to sleep, for Blake it was as close to a surrender that she would allow her feelings, for Jaune, a night free of his nightmares with only a pleasant dream of the girl in his arms.

(-o0O0o-)

It was another horrible night for him. The fires of knives and blades broke him from his unfruitful rest. Bloodshot eyes stared out into the night, his hand shaking so hard he was spilling more of the liquor than he was drinking, not that it had been helping dull the feelings. Throughout the camp the older members of his troops, those who had not lost themselves to the pain and ended their lives now groaned and whimpered as they too tried to sleep. However those on duty watched the trio walk calmly forwards their leader with only mild disdain.

"What... what do you want, Fall." He growled out, subtly pushing Blush hard against his shoulder to make real pain stronger than the hallucinating one his mind could not forget. The woman's eyes glowed ominously against the moonlight.

"I want to know just who has this power that has hurt our business partner. My employer has been very interested in the man who can cause this much disorder ever since you told us."

"I'll give it to you. But... erng... you need to give me something." The green haired girl seemed to shirk back as one of his fighters snapped her own antler off, screamed in a mixture of pained laughter and hysterics then proceeded to use the antler to stab at her heart. She was quickly restrained but the damage was done, not even unlocking her aura would save her. "I don't care what you need him for, but when you are done, I want his head... in a box." Adam stood up and walked forward towards the crazed deer as she began convulsing. "Give me that, and I will tell you everything you need to know." He turned back to the woman, his other troops behind him now. His aura burned red, filling the world with it as he unleashed Wilt with all of his warped semblance. The girl before him was obliterated, as acres of land behind her. Wilt returned to Blush and he turned back, the pains seemingly vanished for the moment.

Cinder smiled and Adam took that as an agreement.

"His name is Jaune Arc."

(-o0O0o-)

Next Chapter: Initiation in the Emerald Forest.

The titles will now be standard as the sort of 'intro' into this story is done.

AN: Boy oh boy this went a different path than I had in my head. I was originally going to have it be the Emerald forest initiation and such but then throughout the week I learned a friend's mother is dying of stage four cancers throughout her body (listen to the Green Lantern explain to Inara Sara what he is dying of in Deadpool and that list is accurate) and has at best two weeks, and another acquaintance's brother finally died of stomach cancer after fighting it for ten years. So yeah. Anyway Some interaction with the mothers, and I'll be honest, I don't know if Menagerie ever had the ability to use the CCTs, but hey for this to work I'll just say, F*ck it and say they can. Mrs. Arc's... arc isn't done. None of it is. Kali has been the most supportive of mothers in RWBY we have seen thus far, and often the most inquisitive so I in some ways can see what I wrote here. Also wow a lot of people thought I was going to have Blake and Jaune boink this soon? Spooning in bed cute and awkward like yes, taking the job of our resident bad ass bunny and pumping out kittens no. And we see that behind the scenes things are just going to get much much worse for them all.

 **BARN has been accepted as the team. Does this stand for Barn, like a dusty reddish brown or Barren, as one reviewer Noroi mentioned, similar to STRQ a white? You decide.**

Reviews:

Guest: 'Jaune doesn't have motion sickness.' … Okay... ?

Disturbed911: Harems are too complicated. Honestly I was just making sure Jaune is still Jaune. The goofy heart of gold knucklehead. However this Jaune is more like V4-5 Jaune. There is a darker and more serious side of him. He like everyone here has faults. To be fair I don't know if I can pull off too long of a burn on a relationship, however this has more potential pitfalls than a tomb raider game given the way these two are getting together. They are sweet now but what happens in an argument and words start flying. A room alone might not be enough if he looses control of his semblance.

Noroi: Hmm. Barn or Barren. That's a good thought. As you probably saw in the AN I'll let you all figure out if you want barn or barren.

Eramis8: Familiar but different is what you should strive for until you can effect a major change and tangent I feel. Not everyone is on the same page about the rooms, which not only gave me something for ever the stoic Goodwitch got to poke fun, it was also a jab at a certain group whose blonde got together with one's sister and their leader? Somehow I can't see the sheets in _that_ dorm being all that STARK by fourth year. wink wink nudge nudge. How Pyrrha plays into this is going to be interesting. Initiation comes soon.

Surviversp: Thank you for the review!

Cat Poster: Uh I dunno about lemons, that will be time coming if so. Also Dark souls what?

The-lost-memories6: We'll see about kittens or the like for the time being. I'm glad it's interesting, hearing that keeps me writing.

Stumpy: Them having their own room would make sense, and it was on the table for me, but the whole interaction with others would fall away. I would be afraid of, as you said, shoehorning in nothing but the romance and no plot really and basically the story would revolve around them in their room. As for pointing out their relationship? Uh no you and a few assumed that she would be sleeping in there. *looks at the chapter* Uh all the time. No that's to help/harm Jaune as the story progresses. As for Discompose; The name was sort of an accident that I realized fit so I kept it. I'm sorry you are worried that the story might not be your cup of tea but hey I hope it's interesting enough for most.

X3runner: Trust me I know her quip at Ruby backfired worse than in canon. You know this, but this Jaune probably wouldn't even notice Weiss if this Blake was in the room. You are very correct, Blake isn't just worried about other girls being around him in a romantic sense. She's worried about being tossed aside. It's true, she has seen the worst of the White Fang already, so her finding out they were stealing dust would probably seem trivial. Blake being the leader would also help a certain red head need more... outgoing people around like team SYRN. Thanks for helping me see another point. Glad you liked the last chapter hope you liked this one too.

NinjaFang1331: Thanks


	5. Chapter 5

Some semblances are oft crafted by the soul of the person, yet some are shaped by the experiences of their owner. In that case it can be either a blessing or a curse and for one Jaune Arc, when captured by the White Fang, he learns his Discompose certainly seems like the latter.

Pain is Merely a Touch Away.

By

Hibiki

Imagine you could have the rights to RWBY, but for the rest of your life, you would have to clean up every mess or problem created by every Rooster Teeth 'Million Dollars, But..." challenge accepted. Would it be worth it? Not for me.

RWBY is created by Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.

Chapter Five: Initiation in the Emerald Forest.

(-o0O0o-)

Sunlight filtered down onto her face as Blake awoke to the feeling of being enveloped in warmth and safety. She breathed deeply, allowing her body to stretch somewhat despite not daring to move from the safe warm spot. Opening her eyes slowly she found herself laying in bed with Jaune's soft breathing tickling her ears. She soon noticed sometime in the night they had entwined her left hand with his right. It she never really got to see the damage Adam and the others did to it, the slight maiming being one of the few things Jaune was still very skittish about.

While he still had most of his digits, the tell tell shortness due to his little finger missing most of it's distal phalanges, the incredible series of lattice work scars that all paled in comparison to the truly horrible looking dorsal to palmar scar that Adam opened daily for a week straight. At least until till Jaune's nerves couldn't hack the pain and he passed out from the mere touch of it, forcing the bull faunas to move on to more painful but untouched locations on Jaune's person. The man whose arms she now lay in hadn't been able to move that arm until weeks after his Aura had been awoken due to the amount of trauma it had endured and even now a year later, it was only when he was asleep and had taken her hand that she was able to see the true extent of her biggest failure. The last time she could remember even seeing it last was when they had first arrived at the Arc homestead and the near disastrous reunion.

(-o0O0o-)

 _Nickolas stood with his sword at the ready, the point of his long blade mere inches from the girl standing before his son as the boy hysterically called out to his mother. Juniper writhed on the ground surrounded by her daughters, the byproduct of her brief hug to her son. The golden eyed girl stood calmly despite the threat before her unarmed form, given she had thrown her weapons down in front of the Arc patriarch, hands in entreaty. The look in his eyes were of familiarity and for once, deserved hatred. Juniper cried out causing the Arc girls to react and the blade to inch closer to Blake's face._

 _Jaune's hand took hers moments later, grasping it tightly as he watched what his mere touch had done to his mother. She wanted nothing more than to turn and hold him from the pain she had seen coming as they traveled across Anima to return to Sanus. He was beyond determined to let his family know he was safe, and given his scroll probably was still with Adam only god knew what had been transmitted to the family. Blake only happily agreed to go with him, given the trust they had for one another. It perhaps seemed odd to most people, but for the two of them, it felt normal. The last two hard months of them running from the white fang to the western side of Anima, from Adam and his vengeance had worn the two of them down, made them latch on to each other in ways that they probably shouldn't have._

 _After learning what his semblance was and just how powerful yet dangerous it could be, it made them slide past settlements and people, past known areas of safety and into the unknown of the wilds where Grimm lurked. Out there, with only the two of them, where a single day was measured in remaining ammo and aura, they had little else outside of the knowledge the other would not let them down. As Jaune grew in strength from his ordeal, Gambol shroud's sheath blade became a welcome and familiar sight in his grasp. Where Blake had speed and stealth to dispatch foes, Jaune had power and wherewithal to hold and break the enemy._

 _Because of this and so many other reasons, she trusted him with her life. Was it odd that she should, given everything that had happened and the fact he was a human? Yes, and even more so for him to trust her, but they trusted one another all the same. From those moments where she patched his wounds, ignoring the bruises left by her ex-partner when she had spoken out against Jaune's treatment, to the two of them fighting off legions of Beowolves and some slightly more exotic grim, to fighting through raiders to which they learned the true destructive nature of Jaune's semblance; Jaune had been there for her in ways no one had in years, not since she had left her family and friends back in Menagerie. She had only hoped she had done the same for him. However in this moment she couldn't have felt more like she failed except when she learned of his imminent torment five months prior._

 _She had warned him, let him come to terms with his power, and he had understood her after seeing first hand the effects Discompose had on the bandits. Jaune knew to keep his distance. Sadly, Juniper had not and hadn't spared a moments thought to take him into her arms. Blake had been unable to stop it in time due to Nickolas' intervention of her._

" _Please." The man's hatred seemed to fade noticing the growing distress on the faunas' face the longer Jaune cried out to his mother. "Please let me help him." Nickolas remained motionless, ready to strike for a few moments longer before the blade pulled back and Blake felt his gaze shift from attack to guarded. Blake threw him from her mind as she knelt and let her friend gather her in his arms. Juniper was finally responding to the girl's cries and her husband's hold of her person. Eventually the family calmed to the point words could be spoken once more._

" _What happened to my wife? My son?" Blake and Jaune looked to each other, one worried and the other fearful but they nodded almost in unison. They were partners. No matter what, they would face it all, together._

(-o0O0o-)

Jaune's deep contented breathing came to a yawning end as he entered awoke, his muscles all flexing interestingly around her as he took in his surroundings with the practiced eyes of a hunter. It seemed not everything had been lost from their two months across the continents, even despite the comfy beds and easy meals he had gotten over this past year.

"That was a nice nap." He murmured, disturbing the quiet. Hearing the contentment in his voice was worth the loss of the slumberous mood.

"Yes." She turned and gazed up to him, as he looked down to her, amber eyes gazing into blue, and smiles soft and unguarded. She squeezed his hand, and to her happy surprise, he didn't pull away or change expression, merely gave her hand a gentle squeeze back. "Very nice."

(-o0O0o-)

Getting out of bed was slightly awkward for the both of them, given their waking positions but soon enough they had dressed and left the comfort of their dorm to head to the cafeteria for quick breakfast where they bemusedly listened to an energetic red haired girl's plans for her and her friend to stay together but not together-together as partners. They then headed to the locker rooms for their weapons. After saying hello to their young friend and her fiery tempered sister they found themselves stuck near their least favorite Schnee and a familiar spartan as Weiss tried to talk up Pyrrha into joining as her partner.

"-I think I'll just let the chips fall where they may." Pyrrha finally announced, shifting in place as if she were looking for a way out. Weiss seemed to take that as a yes and her face almost took on an demonic expression. Jaune took that moment to introduce his friends to one another.

"Blake, this is Pyrrha Nikos. Pyrrha, this is my dear friend, Blake Belladonna."

"Hello again Jaune, Blake." Pyrrha waved hello, her nerves at meeting new people seemingly odd to Blake given the almost celebrity status the Mistralian had.

"Likewise." Jaune seemed to laugh a little at her curt reply, causing the golden eyed female to pout at him. The look was cute enough that Pyrrha had to smile at the scene before the moment was wreaked by Weiss moving between them all.

"Hold on you two, do you know who you're talking so familiarly too?"

"Uh Pyrrha?" Jaune responded confused. Blake all but covered her face with her hand while Pyrrha seemed to take his reply in a very contented fashion.

"Pyrrha NIKOS. She graduated top of her class at Sanctum." Jaune looked more confused but Blake had a question.

"Did you not want to learn under a Faunas? I've heard that there are quite a few students who don't want to train with Professor Lionheart transfer from Haven to the other schools."

"Oh no! I've met headmaster Lionheart and he was a very nice man. However it was the act of him trying to entice me to go to Haven early that had me look to other schools." Pyrrha remarked, looking a bit unsettled by the thought of her having racist tendencies.

"Of course that isn't the reason, Pyrrha mentioned her hope for faunas equality after winning against faunas Chiro Dark for her fourth Mistral regional Tournament win!" Defended Weiss.

"Wow, given the Grimm me and Blake had to face through Anima, I know that Mistral Huntsmen are pretty powerful. That's quite an accomplishment." Pyrrha smiled bashfully at the praise.

"Blake and I, Jaune." Blake, however, corrected. Jaune made a face, hard thought it was for all but his friend to tell, at the monochromatic girl who merely gave a small self satisfied smirk in reply. Pyrrha took in the scene with comfortable laugh. Weiss seemed to have a problem with the open casualness the trio were having and gave a huff, waving her arms in the air before stomping off.

"Thank you for the compliment! It's better than being known for my Pumpkin Pete's sponsorship."

"Oh! My sisters love that one! I even have a hoodie from when I use to eat it. Sadly, Blake won't let me have the cereal anymore."

"It's not good for you." Blake snarked as she checked over Gambol Shroud.

"Haha, well... She's not wrong." Pyrrha conceded and the man just gave up, shrugging. He quickly reached for his locker as Professor Goodwitch's voice came over the schools PA system directing them to the cliffs.

"Alright Lady-killer, let's get this show on the road!" Yang remarked as she passed. Jaune deftly tightened Crocea Mors to his waist, glancing to his partner noticing her doing the same.

"Ready?" He asked cockily. She merely eye rolled and followed their friends out the door. Jaune caught himself admiring her walking before shaking the thought loose and followed.

(-o0O0o-)

Jaune and Blake made it to the platforms on the cliff last, putting them farthest from Weiss and Pyrrha in the collection of persons known to them but right besides Ruby and Yang. Jaune got his first closeup view of the headmaster, the man who was supposedly so knowledgeable about Aura and semblances that he could help aid him in mastering Discompose that he would one day be able to be around his family without the need of his coverings. The thought of being able to be normal again had him grinning and only vaguely paying attention to the headmaster's words, however when Miss Goodwitch stepped forward Jaune focused on her words as did Blake, the last time they spoke to the woman she had assumed something more of his and Bl-Of Blake and his relationship. Sheesh, even in his head he had his friend correcting his speech.

"Now, I am sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates. Today." Ruby, just past Blake seemed to deflate at those words, Blake looked over at him, her bow cocking slightly as she thought about something. Ozpin continued.

"These teammates will be with you for the duration of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone whom you can work well with." It seemed Ruby was about to have an anxiety attack. "That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." What?!

"WHAT?" Ruby shrieked making the entire first year class look over to the shattered prodigy. Well that is except the two together who are not together-together-s.

"See! I told you!" She announced loudly, Ozpin continued as he gave instructions on what to do once landed and partnered up. It sounded a lot like the man who had come to their aid not long after leaving the Mistral hideout of the Fang, if only less drunk and sarcastic.

"Are there any questions?" Jaune had probably about a hundred of them, but one came to mind. Did all of that mean it wasn't certain Blake and he weren't going to be partnered up?

"Yeah. Um. Sir-"

"Good." Ozpin acted as if Jaune hadn't spoke, annoying both Jaune and Blake. "No take your positions."

"Sir." The catapults began firing off students down the line. "Sir I have a question."

"Yes, Mr. Arc?" Weiss was shot into the air, seconds later by Pyrrha. They had moments at most and it felt like Ozpin was just dragging things out, like he had all the time in the world.

"What about Blake and I, sir? We will be partnered together no matter what, right?"

"I wouldn't worry about that. If it's necessary, fate has a tendency to do what needs to be done to make it happen." The heavily covered man sweated at hearing the rather... unenthusiastic reply. The hammer wielder flew off in a yip of glee followed by her mostly silent companion.

"Please tell me that isn't how you plan on teaching me to control my semblance."

"Oh no Mr. Arc, should you and Ms. Belladonna pass this test I will be teaching you everything you need to know as my time permits." Yang shot off with a wink to her sister.

"Time permits?!" Blake nearly spat out. "Jaune and I risked everything coming here for a maybe and ' As my time permits'!?" She nearly jumped off the platform but was caught off guard when the device went off, flinging her away from the object of her ire. The golden brown eyes of the headmaster took in the clothed man before him.

"Take heed Mr. Arc. This isn't just a test for your application, this is also a test of your resolve. Do not disappoint." With that Jaune was flung away from the man.

(-o0O0o-)

Jaune squinted against the spinning dance of sun and wind that did little to help him right himself. Popping the shield of Crocea Mors had helped him from rotating, but only slightly in the flipping department. Without Blake's fancy ribbons or a high impact sniper rifle scythe, all he could do was spin until something hit him to cancel out the nauseating motion. What worrying bit he could make out, that something would be coming soon as green was overtaking his glimpses of the world. Jaune let some of his aura out, as much as he dared and readied for a hard, painful landing. It was at the moment he braced when an all too familiar shape came flying in and wrapped around his shield arm. Instinctively he pulled against the tug, righting himself. He noticed Blake had used the rest of Gambol Shroud to pull the herself and him towards each other while they still fell. His hand reached for hers, smirking slightly.

"Can't stay away, huh Blake?" Blake probably would have rolled her eyes had they not widened in shock.

"Watch out!" A distant familiar voice called out and Jaune watched as Blake pulled the ribbon, trying to move him from a bronze and red blur that struck his arm, thankfully his Aura kept the blade at bay from his skin but to his horror the weapon sliced his shirt from forearm to shoulder, shredding his protective layer and severing the ribbon holding him and Blake together. The javelin struck home into a tree, ripping the captured sleeve further and holding him awkwardly with only a few strips of the heavy fabric keeping him from the ground. "I'm sorry! Are you alright!?"

"I'm okay!" He looked around, desperate. "Blake, Blake you okay?" Hearing no reply, Jaune threw caution to the wind and pulled taught on the fabric holding him to the tree. It took a few moments, moments he didn't have, to pull himself free of the javelin and drop to the forest floor. "Blake!?" He called out again. The world seemed to grow darker, the heaviness in the air more prevalent. Rustling in the leaves near him drew his attention to the underbrush before him and the form slipping through the leaves. It definately was not one he wanted to see.

The red glowing eyes stood contrast to the bone white armor juxtapose against black fur of a Grimm, an Ursa Major to be exact. It roared in challenge as he made ready Crocea Mors.

(-o0O0o-)

 **Next Chapter:** The Fight to the Relics

AN: This took more effort once again to come out, been a long crappy week at work, with my friend's mom fading out; her husband, a co-worker and fellow friend of mine has been late, distracted, and generally less focused and I've had to compensate for that and basically finished becoming the new shipping department in addition to every other role I had to take over due to people being shuttled to alternate locations at inopportune moments, the crap thrust upon me previously because I was good at it, and/or at least one person being sick this week every damn day. We need to hire more people or we need the people we got to actually work/show up because the one man show needs to stop or the one man show need to get a pay raise.

Once again this didn't follow the path I thought, but in the end I like where it DID go, even somewhere I feel like it was in relation to some reviews I got. Which I don't like doing that but I will say the reviews gave me ideas or at least made me think in directions I had considered but deemed non vital until brought up as they were.

Reviews:

 **Mo Eazy:** Thank you for the interest and kind words. I've come a long way since my young writer days. It took me a day or two to realize what dock scene you were talking about. True. We'll see. I had an idea of how to do the flash backs as part of the story. They will be popping up next chapter so hope my idea works out.

That IS a valid point. However I feel like Ozpin has put others to risk with scary semblances before. I mean the most obvious one I can think of is Qrow. A little bad luck isn't going to kill you, but a lot of bad luck and your just asking for it. Part of me wonders if the reason Summer didn't come home might have been due to a unlucky moment. It might explain Tai's disinterest in having Qrow around more than the obvious 'Don't tell my baby girls anything.' dad moment. Of course Ozpin always the pawn master might see what Salem and Cinder see, a potential powerhouse to be used against the enemy. To get the piece into his own court he could have decided, might have been worth the risk.

Atrium, city, airship, you name it Jaune has the potential to cause untold damage. Think of him as the Manhattan project. However why he was allowed to come, despite the issue should become rapidly clear as the story progresses.

I've well... tried to read some stories that I couldn't stomach because Jaune was a Gary Stu or you had to suspend belief to the point the story was unrecognizable from the canon beyond the names occasionally used are the ones from RWBY. I'm trying to keep that from happening, but sadly with the fluctuating story in RWBY being a little hazy at the best of times it's hard to tack down where too far is. I'll keep going, hopefully remaining interesting, but thank you for your interest, your viewing suggestion, and concerns.

 **Guest #2:** Jaune isn't completely okay and hunky dory after everything that has happened to him for certain. Only more time and exposition will tell if what you and a few others have been implying is correct.

If Blake seems to have the feel that she needs to be wanted and important I'm probably not doing her justice. This Blake feels very guilty about what has happened to Jaune. This is the disillusioned and fearful Blake we see pretty much after Volume 3, the one who because of action or inaction (in this case) has caused someone harm. However her sense of justice, the one that had kicked in at the end of V.4 has pushed passed her comfort zone, forcing her hand and need to escape the White Fang a whole year before the normal start of RWBY and the Black trailer.

As for your other question, in a way Blake is the one who captured Jaune, who she gave to others to give to Adam. However to her, he was a momentary way of escaping a sticky situation, and would/should have been set free once their goal was done. However with Adam taking his anger of Humanity out on Jaune, it's her own guilt at letting a person cause pain to another that is talking, the same guilt we see in V3/4 as she worried about Sun and Yang and the others due to Adam's promise from the battle during V3's end. In PMTA we can see what would happen if Adam got a hold of the members of Canon RWBY in the form of what he did to Jaune. It's not pretty and falls in line to what I feel should have been the accurate depiction of Adam given Blake's overwhelming fear of the man we see from V3, not that sad easily defeated punk at the end of V5 made him out to be. He was so good at being bad in the early volumes, did sitting on Sienna's throne make you lazy a-hole?!

Blake's fate also isn't so black and white, no matter canon or this fan fiction. In this fiction there has been a whole year of trial and errors between the Arcs and our little miss ex-terrorist that they have had to go through and get over. Even if there was problems, and trust me there would have been, the fact that at this moment Jaune needs Blake to keep from insanity/being dehumanized, and that given time Blake would make some headway with them. Given Jaune's nature I also feel he must have gotten that from somewhere and perhaps that also plays a part. If it doesn't oh well this is fan fiction after all.

I hoped that I don't need to write out all of _that_ story arc, because I worry about my feet going over themselves or catch myself in a cause and effect overly complicated make it fit action/reaction mode. It's hard enough to justify how the actual series let her run around. I do try and keep a more realistic approach, but some things are just a bit out of whack to me in the canon story and that's hard to be realistic about them, especially in a world of super powered huntsman with mecha-shifting weapons and mystical soul powers fighting creatures of nightmare.

 **Iron-slayer-dragon:** Glad to hear and also glad to see a fellow acolyte of the Knightshade.

 **X3runner:** I'll split up my response in three parts. In a lot of my reading I always see a trend of leaning towards one direction. Happy or Anguish, light or dark, too much of one and nothing of the other till you are over saturated with that emotion or thought process. Here I have Jaune be Jaune but at the same time he isn't the bumbling goofball dork we either loved or hated in V1. This is a jaded human, who enjoys the happy moments when they rarely come up and prepares for the worst, because he knows the depth of some peoples depravity. Given Jaune's pretty self sacrificing nature in canon I too can see Jaune trying to find a way to make a person who in his eyes has sacrificed everything she had for his survival happy in whatever way he can.

Blake never really lost her insecurities until the last three minutes of V4, they were just hidden under the layers of normal teenager behavior. She had assumed she was free to be a teen girl and look a cute boys, and hang out with her friends, that she was free to not be the ex-terrorist 24/7... until she learned she was wrong. V3's later half drove that home, she was still reeling from that blow in V4 and in V5 we see her take the first steps towards reconciliation. So yes, Blake is a flawed person, but they also have the most story you can work with. As are most who are complex characters you can expect them to go one path but it isn't always certain. Blake is a skittish kitty, wanting to trust and love but always weary of the hand that feeds. So for the moment this is as far as she is willing to go. Trust Jaune with her life yes, with her heart? Only time will tell.

Sun's faunas fixation does seem very pushed upon by the CRWBY, and to be fair, Black Sun isn't my favorite pairing at all for my Kitten. The fact right now Blake would probably be less content to sit by and watch WF support continue after everything that happened to both Jaune and herself is telling. As for Salem, wait and see. We've had enough time with her to have a good idea what a man capable of ruining rational thought in a swirl of negative emotions could do to a city would mean.

 **Redwolf23456:** Thanks

 **Eramis8:** I'm glad you like it.

 **Disturbed911:** Glad you enjoyed the chapter, yeah it seems people are blinking out around me right and left. My friend's mom has probably finally passed on by this point though she has surpassed the doctors expectations if only by days, and thankfully peacefully and painlessly in her sleep.

I see potential in BARN. Don't sell yourself short, if you don't write you never know. For years I didn't until I just couldn't wait for someone to write what I wanted to see and the ideas kept bubbling up so I took the plunge. That was Ranma½ fictions followed shortly by Evangelion fan fiction WAAAY back. Looking back at those writing is painful to say the least, given some of those are fifteen years old I think? I was a different person then. I actually have one I never put into digital form in several notebooks I was writing in high school, when FFdotNet didn't even exist. In ways it had inspiration for several of my Naruto stories but also shows I always had the desire to write emotionally driven character based stories and not look at this, he did this, he smack that; action styled stories.

 **Guest #1:** Thank you Guest, and also thank you for catching that grammatical error in my blurb. All chapters and story summary have been fixed.

 **BukkakeNoJutsu:** Hope it stays awesome, thanks for reading.

 **Furor Umbras:** Thanks, trying.

 **TheXIIIth:** There comes a point where mental pain cannot be differentiated from real physical pain. This power blurs that line. If you think the White Fang got it bad just imagine the the raiders. I'm glad you like the Knightshade moments.


	6. Chapter 6

Some semblances are oft crafted by the soul of the person, yet some are shaped by the experiences of their owner. In that case it can be either a blessing or a curse and for one Jaune Arc, when captured by the White Fang, he learns his Discompose certainly seems like the latter.

Pain is Merely a Touch Away.

By

Hibiki

Imagine you could have the rights to RWBY, but for the rest of your life, you would have to clean up every mess or problem created by every Rooster Teeth 'Million Dollars, But..." challenge accepted. Would it be worth it? Not for me.

RWBY is created by Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.

Chapter Six: The Fight to the Relics

(-o0O0o-)

The tavern here on the Northeastern coast of Saunas was popular enough that even out here in the boonies, far from civil folk, the brand new atlas holo-screens were good enough to get a signal all the way from Vale for any who might want to ask for the station. One such individual was a grungy cape wearing old curmudgeon of a man who had been nursing a drink since the place opened for breakfast. The usual patrons had only just started coming in for the good smelling something coming form the kitchen area behind the bar. Most of them were use to the odd ball hunter coming in from Anima or Solitas, so no one paid him much mind. Few would have assumed he had recently arrived from Vale, having made sure his nieces were doing okay and Nickolas' brat didn't kill someone. As the murmur of the crowd began to rise the 'Breaking News' flashed onto the holo-screens as flashed the VNN logo then switching to a familiar studio.

"This is Lisa Lavender," The Lavender haired woman turned to her fellow reporter. He was an older man, bald with a silver streaked goatee and piercing green eyes behind glasses.

"And I am Walter White of the Vale News Network. Welcome to the morning news and this just in- information has broken from VPD sources that another vital shipment of Dust has been destroyed on the Anima central railway with nearly all hands on board the train presumed to have been murdered in cold blood. Lisa?" Walter turned back to Lisa who continued the newscast. The man sighed as it seemed the port town patrons had also turned into Lisa as well.

"This horrible act was believed to be carried out by the terrorist group, White Fang. Footage has leaked onto networks around the same time believed to be a message from the attack's perpetrator, high ranking member Adam Taurus. Taurus was previously believed to directing the Mistral division of the terror organization. Please be warned what we are about to show you is highly graphic and not suitable for younger audiences. Viewer discretion is advised."

The screen went black for a moment before it came up to blurry movement, the sounds of heavy breathing as someone ran with what seemed like a scroll recording. Voices of scared people and angry shouting grew closer as the scroll wielder reached their destination. Loud fumbling as the scroll was brought into focus showed to many in the tavern their first look at Adam. All but the owner of the drink still sitting at the bar, his red eyes watching the action in the reflection of his glass. The man's only action was the straighten up slightly. In the video, behind the bull faunas were the beaten and bruised train engineers. Men, women, some young, some old and eleven in all. The only thing similar beyond the SDC uniforms was the look of fear on their faces.

" _People of Remnant, we are the White Fang. We fight for the justice that all Faunas deserve. The SDC and the Kingdoms of this world take granted the lives of Faunas, some even going as far to say that Faunas are worthless. I am here to prove them wrong. Today, I lost one of my men to a monster in human form and the traitor who set it upon us. With her death I warrant the end of ten humans in her honor."_ The eleven poor souls behind the murderer began screaming, fighting against their bindings as the truth of their fate came to light. The blood red blade came out as the man at the bar counter watched with muted horror as the screams and cries died out slowly, one at a time till only a single woman remained, around her the mutilated bodies of her friends and co-workers began to cool. The camera man moved forward as Adam did, towards the woman. Her shaking growing harder as the bull faunas keeled before her, trembling with such fright the drinking voyeur knew she had probably lost control of her bladder at least. The monster with red hair took firm hold of her by the jaw with a hand soiled with blood, forcing her head to freeze against her will. The fear in her eyes making him grip the glass so hard it cracked.

" _N-no... please... n-no..."_ The poor woman's sobs as tears raced down was hard to deal with on top of it all, leaving some more salty patrons to spit on the ground in disgust watching what was going on but all was silent when Adam's firm tone came over the speakers again.

" _You don't die today. You will be our messenger of warning. I give you and every human this promise. That for every Faunas killed, I kill ten humans in response. I will do what is necessary to show that we are worth more than you humans ever dare to think. Do not blame me for this."_ To everyone stunned silence the bull dipped his finger into the blood pooling around them all, then keeping his iron tight grip began to swiped his finger in one slow sweep across her brow. _"For I too am only the messenger. Because the monster that justifies this warning bears this symbol. His death will be by my hand, I promise this."_ A second time the freshly inked digit tracked it's bloody mark over her brow leaving two rising blood arcs easy for all to see. The image froze, pulling back to the left corner of the screen to allow the two newscasters to be visible once more. Walter resumed the story.

"We apologize again for the graphic nature of the video just shown. If this video evidence is to be believed then this makes seven successful terror attacks lead by Adam Taurus since a failed assassination of the controversial Mistralian industry magnet Andre Nior. Reason stands that this symbol could be related to the huntsman who foiled his attack, one Nickolas Arc of Sanus who had been vacationing with his family onboard the same train. The symbol placed on the forehead of the currently unnamed survivor is nearly identical in style." Lisa took over once more as the drunkard asked for another refill, this time a double. The bartender obliged him, even going as far as to pour a fingers worth for himself to help wash the scene away. Tsk. Those damn VNN fools would drag everyone's spirit down with crap like that video shown throughout Sanus. The Grimm were bad enough without all this murder in the news crap.

"To attempt to confirm this, we at the VNN have been trying to contact the the Arc family, in light of the terrorist's near one hundred body count that has occurred since since the failed assassination. However, the solicitor in contract with the family cites they are under the VWPA and can not comment at this time; but through him they wished to convey their deepest sympathies to the victims of these vicious attacks and their families. A sentiment we at the VNN wish to share as well. But the fact remains, what is this monster that Adam Taurus speaks of and why only now has he come forward in announcing this proclamation?"

(-o0O0o-)

"RaAAH!" The twin arc moons of the Arc symbol shined greatly in the morning sun as the heater shield twisted back while the old blade of Crocea Mors sang true, cutting into the thick hide of the Ursa as Jaune maneuvered past it's flank, sadly missing the thick tendons that connected muscles to the beast's hind leg by a hair. The blackened vapor that was expelled from the wound and a roar of anger erupted from the both. The beast was slower moving around than the Arc, so before the beast could turn to face him again, the blade gave another blur of steel that this time caused the leg to crumple. It was times like this Jaune was glad he had decided not to wear the armor his father has suggested for him, Jaune preferring to keeping like it was with him and Blake during their trip across Anima. The lack of heavy plate allowed him speed he had grown use to in the months fighting with Blake. His wandering thoughts soon caught him unawares as the old bear proved it knew some tricks.

Because the Grimm was not done by any means and in a surprise move the monster rolled over, breaking some of it's armored back spikes in it's relentless need to destroy this wielder of soul. The shield shield gleamed once more as it blocked a fanatical swipe by the beast but Jaune held fast. The monster glared at it's enemy and roared. Jaune, fed up of fighting it, still more worried about his friend let the claw slip over the shield as he let go of the protective covering. A sickly blood like aura sprang up enveloping his exposed arm.

"I don't have time for you!" His pale, scarred hand grabbed the beast's limb, and the creature recoiled like it had been hit with tremendous force, it's red soulless eyes widening. The growls turned into whimpers then into a sound that haunted the battlefield for miles around. Grimm and huntsmen alike paused as the unforgettable wail echoed for several long seconds. "Get. Out. Of. My. WAY!" The beast ripped it's claw free, limping on it's weakened three limbs as it's muscles spasm out of control. Jaune picked up his shield, looking briefly to the huddled mass that was left of the horror to humanity, and continued to walk onward. "BLAKE!"

[BLAM!] A loud large caliber round ended the life of the beast beside him. He barely noticed.

"Jaune, are you okay?" The voice wasn't Blake's and therefore he ignored it. Knowing who it was, however, did make him lower his weapon. Slightly. "I'm very sorry about that. I saw you falling and I was worried about you. I didn't realize that Blake was going to try and help you as well."

"Blake, where are you!?" The figure shook her head at being shrugged off, then looked to the dissolving remains of the Ursa in his periphery.

"W-what did you do to this Ursa? I've never in all my encounters heard one make a noise so... grievous before."

The rattling of the leaves near him brought both of their weapons to the ready but his dropped moments later when a familiar bow was sighted.

"Jaune!"

"Blake!" She went right to him, the two of them checking the other over for wounds. "You okay?"

"I had to swing from a tree harder after the ribbon was cut so I ended up father away than I wanted, you?"

"The blade hit my aura pretty good, fought an Ursa, but otherwise okay." Blake nodded. As one they turned to the awkwardly standing Mistralian looking like she was a third wheel.

"I'm sorry, both of you. I was only trying to help." Blake looked nonplussed by the apology but Jaune being Jaune merely waved it off.

"No big deal, Pyrrha. Just be careful about my exposed side. My semblance isn't a nice one. It's what happened to the Ursa and if you touch me the same could happen to you." Pyrrha's sheepish look turned serious at the mention of the Ursa and then she shivered unknowingly at the thought of being hit by what had caused that terrible wail. Jaune's shoulders slumped slightly at the caught action, only enough for Blake to notice. She turned, keeping her blades at the ready and began walking northerly.

"Let's get to the relics. We need to pass this, Jaune." The two behind her nodded, moving after her.

The trio began walking forward, the sounds of gunfire and dust erupting around them.

(-o0O0o-)

"Lie Ren has matched with Nora Valkyrie. Poor boy, I can't imagine those two getting along." Glynda Goodwitch walked forwards, her scroll opened wide, showing several camera angles following students. "The last two unpaired are Miss Nikos and Miss Xiao Long."

"Hmm." Ozpin was watching a certain duo, only paying attention to his deputy headmistress not to seem completely inattentive. "Will we need Peter to nudge them towards each other?"

"Thankfully not. The three students are heading right for Miss Xiao Long. Not to mention Peter has reported that due to Mr. Arc's semblance, the three of them have remained relatively unopposed since his little show." Ozpin said nothing, lost in the haze that often Glynda wondered if she was speaking to someone they all couldn't hear. However her concerns soon brought her to voice her issues.

"Professor Ozpin... Sir. As we are alone I'll be frank. I feel it was a risk to bring Jaune Arc to Beacon. Especially so casually as the way you had that pair arrive. The risks in letting a boy with that powerful a semblance roam free are too great."

"Glynda, Mr. Arc's abilities and mindset is precisely why I had them come the way they did. I had an old friend watch them in the city ready to do whatever was necessary to keep Vale safe." As much as she was worried about the boy's abilities, she couldn't help but feel the answer to her question felt more ominous than she liked. Ozpin continued. "Despite everything that happened to him, Jaune Arc is at his core a good person. Honest. Like his father."

"So you based the lives of countless people on the judgment you knew of his father and your gut feeling?"

"No, I based it on knowing that when Nickolas promised that Jaune would not loose control, that he would swear on that fact with his life even, I knew I could trust the boy." Glynda looked beyond stunned by the headmaster's words. "You may scoff but I've known the Arcs for many generations, Glynda." He switched to view the three students. "So I know that I can trust when an Arc gives his word, it's as good as done."

(-o0O0o-)

"You MONSTERS!" Blake heard it before the others but soon enough all three knew Yang was on the other side of the brush in front of them. The familiar growl of Ursa put her on guard but the sounds of gun blasts brought them forward into a melee of chaos. Pyrrha was merely a hair faster, launching her Javelin into the back of the surviving Grimm moments prior to the kusari mode of Gambol shroud stabbing it. The creature from the triple assault was felled immediately showing Yang with red eyes and a frown on her face Jaune remembered from last night. Interestingly enough the moment she laid eyes on them the red faded into violet and her, as Jaune would come to know, trade mark grin erupted.

"I could have taken him." Blake could only smirk at the confidence. Was it just something blondes had in spades? Meanwhile, Pyrrha waved hello to her new partner.

(-o0O0o-)

The now quartet walked steadily through the underbrush, beyond the small talk and noises, they had since their introduction to Yang been Grimm free, to the stunned amazement of the two who had walked nearly the whole of Anima in constant attacks. It had the two of them on guard, still as talkative as before. Of course saying that is to say, not much at all, preferring to let Yang dictate the conversation. It all came to a head when they arrived by a cave, it's childish drawings belying the danger inside only an idiot wouldn't realize.

"DEATHSTALKER! DEATHSTALKER! RUN!" Screamed an idiot with a Mohawk as he came running out of a cave with three others in tow. The last one, a large red haired boy covered from the neck down in armor, slammed into Blake knocking her over in his rush, not even appearing to slow to make sure she was okay in his haste. The reason of their swiftness came apparent not moments later. There was a rumble, the ground seemed to buckle and pebbles bounced from the localized earthquake. The trembling stopped momentarily. Then without warning the hillside shook as the cave entrance exploded outwards in flying stone. From it's shattered remains a beast easily twice the size of the opening had burst through. Jaune was there in an instant, shield blocking an attack to the recovering Belladonna who used her semblance to confuse the beast long enough for Jaune to physically grab hold of one of the pincers. Once again the man began focusing his semblance through the limb. The creature almost instantly acted as if it's interior was being crushed under it's dense armor, it's many other limbs flailing wildly. At least at first. Jaune's grip soon backfired as it dragged him off his feet to stare at him with it's red glowing eyes. Jaune swallowed as he realized it was studying him. That meant thinking. That meant one really OLD Grimm.

"It's sentient-UGG!" The claw flung him painfully into a tree the moment he announced, Blake was by him moments later as they engaged their weapons fully. While it was shrugging off Discompose, it still seemed to still be learning how to fight through the effect's of Jaune's semblance, a fact Blake took no chances in wasting. Quickly tugged on her partner's arm they tactically retreated to the others. Yang and Pyrrha, who had been hammering away with their ranged weapons to no avail, were quick as well on the uptake and began running for it. The Deathstalker slowly tapped it's many legs to the ground, pushing through the spikes of fire that each motion caused, and in some cases used it to fuel it's hatred, rising to it's squat but still frightening height. The creature reached out it's senses, looking for the panic it's prey had crafted once it took in and accepted the pain giver's power. There. With a quiet click of it's pincers it moved towards them, it's mistress would want the pain giver. It knew that much after all this time it had been lying in wait, thinking of ways to please it's queen.

(-o0O0o-)

"Yang!" Among the small crowd of people by what must have been the ruin, a familiar reaper and Schnee were waiting. Almost seemingly for the four who burst from the treeline at flank speed.

"Ruby!" Yang dashed away in an instant running to hug her little sister, as the others slowed to a walk, only to have a girl pop in between them with speed and stealth that even Blake had to admire.

"Nora!" The sisters recoiled in shock as this 'Nora' smiled at ruining the reunion.

"NORA!" The quiet boy to the right of them apparently had hit his limit on his friend and yelled, the girl quickly grabbed the chess piece from on top of her head and scampered off to her friend.

"Coming, Ren!" She announced chuckling warmly, Blake would have bet anything the girl enjoyed the little mischief she had done if only to get this 'Ren's attention.

"What are you idiots doing!?" Weiss all but screamed as she and the others noticed the large scorpion grim crashing through the forest determined to capture the wielder of soul that had caused it to feel such pain. "We don't have time to dawdle!" It was slow, the emerald forest being a better road block for the large Grimm than they could have asked for. But they were running out of forest between them and the beast.

"She's right! Lets get our relics and go!" Ruby called out to the assembled people.

"It's a good plan, if that Grimm could shrug off Jaune's semblance that easily then we don't want to quarrel with it unless we have to." Blake commented. "Jaune?"

"Run and live, kind of like that night in Kuroyuri, right?" Ren and Nora's eyes sharpened at hearing Jaune mention _that_ villages name. "That's a plan I can get behind." He reached for the closest relic, a golden rook, while Ruby and her sister took matching knights. They had only glanced away a moment, but as they all began moving the beast was upon them once more. Running was no longer an option.

The students retaliated to the Grimm's presence with a show of such power that it nudged the beast back several feet, giving the group time to pull a defense. To Blake and Jaune's horror, it seemed singularly focused on him, as if it was ignoring the others to try catch him with it's appendages. Pyrrha took the lack of attention to showcase her skill once more of javelin throwing, this time with much better success. The Deathstalker reeled from the loss of an eye, giving Jaune a nice view of it''s softer underbelly.

"Blake! SS!" Blake looked alarmed but deftly threw him the bladed sheath that usually housed Gambol Shroud's katana as he threw her his shield. The girl caught it, opening it clumsily but steadfast, talking a pose Nickolas had taught her. Jaune on the other hand dove forward, his heavy shield no longer holding him back from his natural speed. Darting in the man sliced at anything within reach, and with a Grimm this large, there was much within reach. However the damage being done was not without it's own problems, and within moments of beginning the creature not only was responding, it couldn't continue to hold it's large weight with the damage sustained.

The multi-ton monster was certain to drop on him; but just the same, Blake and Jaune's teamwork was more certain. Once more a ribbon lanced around his arm but this time without Pyrrha's... help... the action worked as desired and he was pulled free moments from being crushed. It seemed while he was busy the others were just as productive, Yang and Ren were going to town on the stinger of the Deathstalker while Weiss was keeping the tail caught in ice. Ruby and Pyrrha, the latter having somehow retrieved her weapon, were keeping their distance, taking potshots at it's eyes. Jaune was going over their options when the tail finally crushed the ice; flinging the Schnee, boxer, and monk away with a fit of anger. Jaune noticed the tail's dangling piece first, nodding towards it to his partner who caught on immediately. Jaune's next glance to Nora had Blake take stock of the whole situation and get his plan.

"Right! Jaune!" Jaune nodded, taking a grip on the ribbon he let her pull hard, using a Shadow to increase her mass she swung the dark robed man with great force towards the ancient creature, the twin blades slicing through the weak tendons holding the stinger to it's tail allowing it to drop onto it's back. While that happened Blake had already started on the next phase of the plan. "Nora! Smash!" She toted the shield of Crocea Mors up, the hammer wielding girl getting the hint immediately and took to bounding off of it with obvious glee.

It was a moment of stunned bewilderment for Blake as struggled to keep on her feet from the bizarre and improvised action. It seemed in slow motion to her as she watched the Grimm realize it was doomed and she was the reason. The Grimm began reaching for her, to snap her in half, when it seemingly folded in on itself. Time resumed it's normal speed as Blake lowered the shield and observed the creature begin to dissipate, leaving Nora climbing down from it's remains as Jaune rose behind it, rubbing his left shoulder from a bad fall after his last attack. They all seemed to calm when a voice broke out over them all.

"That. Was. AWESOME!" The girl they had recently learned was name Nora announced... to half of the Emerald Forrest as Blake took back her sheath, Jaune slipping Crocea Mors back into it's own. "We were all RAWR and it was all like OH NO! And then you two did that nifty switching thing with perfect timing... It was amazing!"

"Just lots of practice, Nora. Blake and I have had each other's back for a while now." Blake didn't need to see his face to hear the smile in his words. Idiot, she thought fondly. Her goofball was too good at making her smile, unbeknownst to the faunas, Blake gave a warm sidelong glance his way. Nora caught the look and secretly smiled in understanding for a moment before returning to her normal mode as if she hadn't seen it at all.

"Wow, so you are like Ren and me!" The excitable red haired grenadier announced. "So is like what you guys were saying some sort of special code? Like SS means... Ooo Secret Service! Like you, Jaune Arc, are a secret spy! Here to keep the kingdom of Vale safe from evil baddies with the help of his partner Blake Belladonna!" Nora latched onto Ren's shoulder pulling him close while pointing between the two of them rapidly. "Can me and Ren be spies too? I'll be double 00Boop! Sexy and deadly!" Jaune and Blake blinked as they looked to one another in stunned silence while Nora took her pointer finger and blew on it like it was a smoking gun from a Spruce Willis film.

"Huh?" Jaune finally announced as he tried to understand the last bit. Ren sighed.

"Don't mind Nora. This is normal." Blake's bow drooped low at hearing this. Just what had she and Jaune gotten caught up in?

"Uh, people." Yang announced. She was pointing up and the rest of the group followed her finger to a large dark shadow in the sky. A shrill cry broke forth and the shadow seemed to splinter, descending towards them. Eyes widened as the the shadows became quills.

"Oh come on!" Jaune whined. Honestly no one could fault him for it.

(-o0O0o-)

Next Chapter: The Start of Something Good.

 **AN:**

A funeral and some chaos ensued this weekend past. Been hard to find time to write. Not much to say other than outside of a ratty piece of cardboard with some scribbles about Adam's reasoning for his intense hatred of the Arcs and Jaune fighting the Ursa on it, today [Sunday] was the only day I had to work on this. [Update next Saturday] Well that and the hour or so I've had since then before today. Hope this one was okay, not as much action as I wanted to do but I need to work on those some more. Hopefully next week will be more on par and hopefully I can spend more time writing.

 **Omake:**

The real meaning of SS Pt1: Anime

The Deathstalker slammed the younger girl away in a snapping of claws and mandibles. Jaune took note that the rest of the group was suffering badly and knew what he would have to do.

"Nora! Ren! Distract it for ten seconds okay? Blake! SS!" Blake looked alarmed but deftly threw him the bladed sheath that usually housed Gambol Shroud's katana as he threw her his shield. Blake jumped in the moment she expanded the shield to buy him enough time as the Arc worked on drawing out what he needed to end this confrontation. (SONG: SAO's Survive the Swordland) Jaune calmly stepped into the fray, catching the large scorpion's tail with both sword and bladed sheath. Jaune gritted his teeth at the weight and force of the appendage forcing him down, literally cracking the earth beneath his feet as it tried to crush him.

The heavily covered man took a deep breath before giving a cry, both blades igniting in a furious glow that threatened to blind the onlookers. "Starburst... STREAM!" Flinging the stinger from his path Jaune set forth a blur of sword swipes, taking hits he forced himself to ignore as the heavily clothed figure focused entirely of offense. It felt like the fury of his strikes, embellished by the yells from him forcing his body beyond it's limit and the Grimm screaming at the hundreds of cuts taking place; that the battle went on for hours. Yet only thirty seconds past before Jaune, low on Aura decided to finish it. With a dual bladed swing he cleaved the beast in twain, the fading monster obscuring the man as his two blades finally extinguished their luminescence. Jaune teetered for a moment, till his energy left him, as Blake rushed to catch him. She ended up on her knees, clutching his head in her lap as she helped him in any way she could.

"Wow! What what that!?" Ruby exclaimed, rushing forward with the rest of the people. "That looked like Kiri** from Sword Art O***ne!" The young girls voice seemingly censored for copyright reasons announced.

"It's Jaune's real semblance. He can mimic anything he's seen in games and anime." Blake's hand slipped his hood off, showing his blonde hair that she gently stroked. "He calls it SS, or Scene Steal."

 **Reviews** :

Kreceir: Ah... Sun. I know people like him but I've mentioned similarly to another reviewer my complaints with Sun. Honestly, Black Sun bugs the shit out of me as well. We'll get there, eventually this story will have him pop up.

Priceless22: Thanks

Emberframe: Thanks

Eramis8: Honestly Ozpin IS a dick. I don't know if that's from a thousand lifetimes of failing to do what needed to be done, it sounds like there was a time where he didn't try. The story of the maidens seems to show that after years and years of nothing working he had given up, content to live alone and forgotten, seemingly at a loss at what to do with immortality. It took four young sisters to show him that life was worth living, that humanity was worth not giving up and letting Salem win. However it also feels like he has been wearing down. He even mentions that his power is waning. He is a man so stubborn it often seems like outside forces are the things that cause him to react and change. Look at the tract record we get from the canon. The maiden's tale, the two brothers, Amber, Ruby, Ironwood, Cinder, Lionheart. It took all of these people to cause him to react.

As for Pyrrha, I mentioned she seems like one trying to save people form harm, only this time Jaune has some training and also someone watching his back. In the end she really was a third wheel there.

: On purpose I'll let you know.

X3runner: I often feel like Pyrrha didn't mean to use it to pick Jaune, though it had the added effect of doing so. Pyrrha's destiny was to be a huntress, to save those in need. I think she felt Jaune was in trouble and acted without thinking. It fits her character to a T. Not to say she ISN'T a bit devious in certain things.

You hit my personal disinterest in Sun right on the head. He is a BAD team leader. So was the character he is based off of, but the fact remains he ISN'T a good leader and a bad teammate. He's a unrepentant thief, who can't lead a group worth a damn, who wanders off from his friends at the drop of a banana peal to chase some, pardon the pun here, pussy. I'm sure like Sun Wukong in the Journey myth there is a probably story plot point somewhere will be him growing as a person. That said, the boy band from Mistral outside of the interesting 'Neptune as a flawed character' part never really hit me. It's true what you say that a bully and racist jerk is a better leader/friend/person than a supposed good guy minority.

Ozpin is the easiest character to write to be honest. It's sort of like Maz Kanata from the force awakens. Except with less emotion. She said it best, "If you live long enough, you see the same eyes in different people." Ozpin has seen it all before. We don't know how many silver eyed warriors he has been around before, how many of Salem's pawns he has fought, how many attempts on the Relics, the maidens, friends lost, loved ones cut down or worse die around him. If he had families once in a while, we don't know. We've only seen the surface of Ozpin. We've seen a man who has accepted the guilt of a thousand lifetimes of regrets but cannot stop to reflect on them for fear of falling further behind his enemy.

Weiss is another easy character. She's stuck up, pompous but generally has her heart in the right spot. She just doesn't have the right tools to deal with people. Ruby is the breaker of these things, it's why those two just work good together. Of course if I could make a Jaune like the one from Not This Time Fate then I could probably write anything to make it work.

NinjaFang1331: Thanks.

Mo Eazy: Actually you are more right than you know, I had some ideas percolating in the back of my brain about Adam and his reasoning, mostly to deal with the reason for his actions we see in V5 with Sienna Khan. However they would also adequately explain his methodology in why he goes to the extreme he does with Jaune.

There sometimes it feels like Ozpin wasn't all there anymore, like he had let himself go too far, unlike what we see with Oscar who actively fights to retain some sense of himself, Ozpin (or whomever he was before the 'Ozpin' persona took over) molded far better and as such removed the mortal drive that makes a person yearn for certain things and usually keep a moral compass. It doesn't make me feel like canon Ozpin wouldn't just offer someone with some horrible semblance to be around people anyway.

As for the luck it's easy to see how one misstep could cause untold damage/injury. I mean if we notice that the timber in V4 that almost hit Ruby in Oniyuri would have killed her, her Aura had broken, she wasn't paying attention. Qrow's semblance would have let her be killed had he not intervened. Anyway still tweaking the over all, while trying to retain what I've already written while trying to fix the amount of disbelief required.

Tobi14: Thank you for your interest. You might be right. I've spent weeks going over the whole volume 4-5 haven section with Kali and Ghira, they flip back and forth where one scene it seems like they knew she was at Beacon, but then the next there are words that make it seem like they had no clue where Blake was. I blame the oft rushed writing of the CRWBY for that.

I hope that the intro into the chapter helps explain just what has happened with the Fang and the extremes they have gone from their peaceful roots now in Adam and his inner circle's presence, and yes, all hands on board the train in Forever Fall were killed without Blake there. I'll be honest about the whole idea of suicide bombing of the breach. It is my belief the WF troops were expecting to attack Vale to strike a blow to humans using Torchwick's plan. Had it gone as planned they would march through the city with massive atlas machines and weapons, letting Grimm do the dirty work then escape in the chaos. However RWBY and Oobleck put such a disruption into the plan just by merely forcing it to happen week(s?) early that many of those who didn't end up stuck in the tomb of Mountain Glenn, and more than likely eaten by Grimm, probably ended up captured or wounded. It took Adam personally taking over the Vale branch to keep them going at the end of Volume 2.

Weiss will probably be less inclined to listen true, but thankfully she isn't on Blake's team here. However things will be in motion that will make her more like her canon self soon.

Good catch. Kali already mentioned it but there are some glaring similarities between Jaune and Adam. I won't even begin to think about Adam's possible backstory, all I want to do is do a better justice to his supposed 'spite' based character arc than poor old RT did in volume 5.

BlackHawkSniper: I'm glad you are enjoying them so veraciously. I do apologize that everything seems to be moving at a snails pace and I have a feelings things will speed up as we move into weeks and months between things as we get into the meat of the original arc of the Monty/Beacon era. More padding is coming as I begin to fill the surrounding story in bits at a time and as these bits begin to effect the overall story more directly.


	7. Chapter 7

Some semblances are oft crafted by the soul of the person, yet some are shaped by the experiences of their owner. In that case it can be either a blessing or a curse and for one Jaune Arc, when captured by the White Fang, he learns his Discompose certainly seems like the latter.

Pain is Merely a Touch Away.

By

Hibiki

Imagine you could have the rights to RWBY, but for the rest of your life, you would have to clean up every mess or problem created by every Rooster Teeth 'Million Dollars, But..." challenge accepted. Would it be worth it? Not for me.

RWBY is created by Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.

 **Note:** This story is written without much guide, my open office broke and I've spent all week trying to fix to no avail.

Chapter Seven: The Start of Something Good

(-o0O0o-)

The Nevermore was the last Grimm the group had to deal with that day. Weiss had come up with a plan to force it down to the ground and the eight finished off the thing with sheer firepower and brutality. Thankfully for Jaune, that meant he didn't have to use his Semblance. Given his multiple usage, something he had been fearful of since the bandit's of Anima, he worried about the effects of prolonged usage could detriment the control he struggled with everyday. Everyone in the group was exhausted after fighting the two ancient Grimm, but their luck held until the eight managed arrive back at Beacon, relics in tow.

There was little that could be said for the moments leading up to now other than an awkward silence given the looks that Jaune had been given and the warnings he had issued due to it. Blake and Jaune knew their new friends had questions about his exposed arm and far too orderly to be battle scars upon it, until they broke for treatments and to recouperate until this ceremony the bunch were now in.

"Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark." Jaune's expression, thankfully hidden by his newly replaced shirt and mask, was not a happy one at catching the name of the guy who had struck Blake in the Emerald Forest. The holo-screens of the auditorium showed each of their profiles as the boys are lined up for the applauding audience to see as Ozpin continued. Jaune took careful note of Cardin, hand tightening instinctively on the hilt of Crocea Mors. "The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Cardinal, led by... Cardin Winchester!"

The audience gave one more wave of ovation, minus the majority of the group who had witnessed the four's actions earlier that day. Jaune and half of the others were beckoned forwards and the four students walked up to the stage to take their places in front of the headmaster. Their faces filled the screens above them.

"Jaune Arc. Blake Belladonna. Lie Ren. Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Barren. Lead by... Blake Belladonna."

Amid the clapping, Nora laughed and gave Ren a hug while Jaune clapped, muffled as it is with his now replaced gloves. Blake however seems far more shocked than happy. It wasn't much in her nature to be a leader! Naked fear seemed to settle on her face as Jaune led her off the stage and the others of their group walked onto stage. No! Let... Anyone else on her team be leader! It wasn't fair! The girls were going to laugh at her when they heard, already calling her their brother's keeper!

"And finally: Pyrrha Nikos. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiao Long. (motions over the four as they stand before him) The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Siren. Led by... Wiess Schnee!" Weiss seemed both happy and yet stunned as Ruby gave her a huge hug and congrats. Yang and Pyrrha also congratulated her and the crowd once again dutifully applauded the bunch. Blake was still hyperventilating in the corner as Jaune watched Ozpin look first to Ruby's group then peer right at Jaune with a blank expression. Jaune felt Blake's hackles raise from the glance alone.

"...It looks like things are shaping up to be an... interesting year." Blake resisted the urge to strangle him as the man calmly sipped his coffee.

(-o0O0o-)

"So... Let's get the Goliath in the room out of the way, shall we? Drop your stuff and get comfortable, this will take a bit." Jaune announced as he and Blake led their new teammates into the room supplied by Goodwitch. Ren was stoic as Blake, calmly sitting on the edge of one of the normal beds while Nora bounced on her new bed for the moment, until a set of sharp looks from Ren and Blake respectively had the girl stop, letting her bottom stay planted on the now messy covers. Jaune sighed, pulling off his glasses and very very slowly, slid back his hood showing his blue eyes and blonde hair.

"Nearly a year and a half ago, I was captured by the White Fang." Ren and Nora's expressions went from stoic and bored respectively to stunned. "The leader of the group I was captured by was either angry of my father's interference in his assassination mission or just humanity in general. I guess, maybe something more that he never really mentioned." Blake had tried to come to grips with why Adam would even begin such a thing, let alone go to the extremes he had on Jaune's person after his visit to Seinna Kahn. Even now, a year later, his reasons seemed rarely palatable to the once optimistic faunas. "But he took all of those things out on..." Jaune's left hand gripped his shaking right at the wrist, trying to calm it.

"You were tortured." Nora's voice was no longer boisterous. It was calm, not sad per say, but there was a tone of something that struck Blake in how the girl had changed. It was hard for Blake to put it into words more the naïve and happy go lucky red head was supplanted with this more jaded personality. It seemed there was far more to her new teammates than she had thought.

"...Yes." Jaune sighed, leaning against the doorjamb that lead into his room. "For three months it went on, until Blake unlocked my Aura and helped me escape." Blake's heart clenched at the omitted truth, knowing the two would probably put it together soon enough but for now, Jaune continued on, not allowing for more interruptions. "My Semblance was unlocked at the same moment my Aura was and to be honest, it's effects are... horrifying."

Even Blake had to agree, no mater how much she could deny it, his ability was the most destructive she had ever seen. Especially since it took longer, making it more cruel and unethical, than Nickolas' and Adams mercifully quick one hit killers. Despite knowing what they did and could do to normal humans. The horrors that Adam and his ilk had brought to Jaune, what had happened to her once brothers and sisters in the Mistral pack of the White Fang made her ill. Jaune was of the same mind... When it came to anyone else he had ever met and affected.

However no matter how horrified he was of causing that much pain, suffering, and death; he could not bring himself to truly feel horrible for causing his tormentors harm. It was due to this fact which made him ill and fear his power more than the power itself ever could, he had admitted to her. That while he couldn't ever feel satisfaction at giving his pain to others, he could not and would not forgive the group that had done what it did to him. That he was worried that deep down he might have felt some sick vindication at making them feel what they did to him.

Blake had to be honest, it was Jaune's one truly dark place. It was the part that made him hesitant, sullen and jaded. The one single blackness on his heart that lessened the caring that brought her to his side all those months ago in their combined prison of Adam's making. That the boy had to become a man who had to accept hard realities and even accept in part the 'Monster' that Adam cursed him on that fateful day Blake unlocked the truth in his heart. The truth SHE had put there. That was what truly made her fear his eventual hatred of her. The part of him that would one day cause his touch to show her what she truly deserved. That she would loose another dear person to their hate. Blake closed her eyes and gave a calming sigh.

No. Jaune was not Adam. She had defended him on this with her mother, and in some ways she wondered if her mother was the one who put that thought in her head. Jaune had accepted her role, demanding it as nothing more than minor in the grand scheme of things, putting her actions that came after more important than anything. A hand gently gripped her shoulder, bringing her to the present. She started, looking up into Jaune's questioning gaze. She gave a breif nod, squeezing the hand in quiet thanks. He rubbed her shoulder a moment more, his smile creeping up the sides of his mask before he returned to his captive audience.

"Anyway, the initial blast of my semblance caused the camp to erupt into panic. Everyone of them felt what they had done to me, the closer they were and less between us, the stronger the effects. Many of them didn't survive the effects. Those that did..." Jaune's eyes closed, his face clenched tight in memory. "If that wasn't bad enough. The confusion, pain and death, the overall negativity that came from my Semblance's effects was like a signal flare." Ren's voice was low, almost cold as he summoned forth an appropriate hate filled curse in human tongue.

"Grimm." Blake nodded and continued wincing as her voice seemed weak and stuttered at first.

"T-the moment we tried to escape them, the outer walls were already being swarmed by Beowolves. Jaune was in no condition to fight, so we didn't pause to see what happened, but I heard a wall defender shout about a Beringel as we fled."

"With Jaune's powers still uncertain we ran to a town, long since abandoned from the looks of it called Kuroyuri. The effect of what happened had finally hit us and our negativity brought a large Grimm we had never seen before. We barely escaped with our lives. After some days we came to a village named Higanbana where we learned the horrible truth.-"Jaune interjected.

"My semblance is always working. A single touch to anyone other than Blake is letting them feel the pain of my days with the White Fang. The longer the touch, the more of it they feel. I couldn't reel in my powers under cloth like I can now, so when a waitress touched my shoulder she screamed. I fell back into someone else, and in the chaos, I let out a blast of my semblance's aura attack. The entire inn was affected. Twelve people out of sixteen people died by self mutilation or heart attacks induced from stress, the remaining four were forced to be sedated and sent to a hospital in Mistral. After that the two of us refused to have another incident, we stuck to the wilds, staying out of people's paths trying to get to Sanus and my family while working on my Aura control. The only company we had for nearly two months was a day or so with a huntsman who was passing though. Didn't stay long, only warned of Bandits that he had been scouting. Sure enough even though we had tried to go around we ran right into a camp full of them." Jaune sighed, running his hand through his hair. Blake continued.

"I was captured, they knew I was wanted by the White Fang and could get a bounty by turning me in, dead or alive. Their leader wore a Grimm mask so I wondered if she was some unknown part of the Fang, but it didn't matter they were going to... do things, then kill me." Blake took Jaune's hand, forcing him to look at her. "Something my partner wouldn't allow. It's my fault I forced him... I forced you to do what you did because I was careless." He took her hand. Shaking his head before looking to their two teammates.

"I consciously used my powers for the first... and last time. Only the leader and a handful of her subordinates escaped through some portal she made, the rest. The rest are dead." Jaune sighed, shaking his head. "I killed them all."

Ren and Nora listened to the rest of the Jaune's story, and nodded their conformation about how to handle being around him. They didn't seem to be put off but soon Jaune had little time to worry. Ozpin was summoning him to his office. Alone. It did little to ease Blake's mood at all. But Jaune asked her to call the Arc sisters on his behalf, hoping the familiar faces would cheer her up.

(-o0O0o-)

The elevator beeped a soft chime, allowing the heavily cloaked man entry into the many twirling gears and deep sounding clockwork that moved above and below the ceiling and floor. Standing behind his desk, looking out at Vale's sunset framing him, the headmaster seemed very unapproachable, like a wizard in some old fairy tail or movie he had read or watched when he was a kid. However, he wasn't that kid anymore. The man before him wasn't some magical wizard who could turn him into a fish or squirrel for a lesson. Jaune was a guy, barely a man in his own eyes, who needed help. Help only the man standing in the window could give.

"Professor, you wanted to talk to me?" Ozpin turned and motioned for Jaune to sit in the offered chairs opposite of his own. The two sat.

"Mr. Arc. Thank you for coming. Now, tell me. What do you know about Aura?"

"Aura is the manifestation of our soul. That everyone has it, even animals. I think Blake mentioned reading once that someone thought plants too but they only tried it on broccoli. No one could tell if it worked." Ozpin gave a rare smirk at the mention of Blake's reading.

"Yes I think I remember the theory in a journal a few years back, an interesting Atlesian scientist by the name of Polendena. His ideas, theoretical and often lambasted for their lack of substantial physical evidence, are in some ways why I brought you here today. It is this man's belief that souls bear our burdens, and in doing so they shield our hearts from harm, a so called autistic field in psychological means. Most huntsmen only use our Aura as shields or in power sources for our semblances and weapons. But why are semblances, often unique to the individual with few exceptions, always different?" Jaune idly thought that if he had never met this man, he would still know him as a teacher with this passive aggressive lesson styled speech.

"When Blake mentioned she had unlocked my Aura she explained it as the act of baring your soul outward as a force. I then would guess it means one's soul's true desire in physical form?"

"Perhaps. But not always. In some cases its the act of living through events that shades our semblances. Take one man I know very well, his semblance is a force of manipulating possible outcomes in a negative fashion. While he can tweak this power to his use, his is truly uncontrollable. It will effect the world he interacts with. He and twin sister were born with their aura unlocked, using their mother's death to prove they could be powerful even in birth."

"So there are others out there with uncontrolled Semblances."

"His is one of many with what I would like to call, passive state semblances, the kind of powers that alter a way or form of a person due to the fact the semblances are always on. Another man I know, but sadly and regretfully failed to help, cannot register physical pain, your antithesis I presume. Another a woman who is not a faunas, but can only breath in water after unlocking her Aura. There are as many types of active and passive state Semblances as there are people in the world, Mr. Arc. Your powers, however, are an interesting mixture of both."

"Active state, sir?" Jaune was barely following along, trying to wrap his brain around the information he was being given.

"A semblance that, much like Aura, has to be activated through a trigger. Be it Shadow, like your partners, Speed like Ms. Rose, Glyphs in the Schnee Family line, or returning damage taken like Ms. Xiao-Long, your father... and Adam Taurus." Ozpin watched as Jaune's expression grew dark, his right hand trembling. "It's not wrong to fear."

"I don't fear him."

"I never said it was a person you fear. It is your power, because you do not understand it."

"I understand it just fine, SIR." Jaune bit through clenched teeth. "I was tortured and beaten until I was ready to die. Had Blake not saved me I had days at best. I give that which I was given, just the same as my father just in a different way."

"A commendable act on her part. Though I wonder why Ms. Belladonna waited as long as she did? Did she really even want to help you at first? Why after months of disfigurements and trauma?" Jaune snapped, leaping to his feet in protest.

"She waited because Adam Taurus is a monster in our skin, just like me! He may not have cut her, he may not of done more than hit her, but he tortured her mentally. Just as bad or not worse than me. I only had months, she had years with him, hoping he would snap back but feared him all the same. He only showed his truest colors because he had made a new one in his place. One I proved the moment my Aura was unlocked! A monster I could see reflected in her eyes for days after I did those things to the White Fang! The Inn at Higanbana! The Bandits! Even my own mother." Jaune's anger faded into despondence. "She's only here to keep me from becoming another Adam."

"I think Ms. Belladonna is the only one who can answer that." Ozpin watched as the younger man's mood changed again, and he began pacing, the gears overhead keeping time with his hurried pace.

"I am a Monster! My semblance is torture! Pain only a mere a touch away!" Ozpin merely let the boy rage before sitting down his mug, pulling back his sleeve to expose bare skin and held it aloft towards the raging lad.

"Then go ahead, Mr. Arc. Take your glove off and touch me. Prove to me you are this monster you claim you are." Jaune stopped pacing, stopped everything staring at the exposed skin with something akin to true agony.

"I refuse. I will not use this on someone on purpose, no mater how much they push me. Not for my sake. Never again." Jaune's legs gave out as the rush of emotion left him exhausted and he slumped into the guest chairs by the desk, his face in his hands.

"That is why you are not a monster, Mr. Arc." The man didn't seem to take any comfort in the words.

"I should have let the Fang kill me. If I had known what would happen to so many people because of this... I should have died. But I WAS scared! I didn't want to die! I didn't want to leave Blake alone, trapped in Adam's grasp! I wanted to see my family again, to be with them! But! ...I-I never asked for this... I n-never wanted to hurt people... to k-kill people... I never asked for this."

"Those who are burdened by things like these, never do." Ozpin turned away. "Don't worry, Mr. Arc... Jaune. It is in accepting these burdens that one takes the first steps. The steps that will help you understand what you truly have." Ozpin took a sip of his drink, eyes fading into the vast horizons of his mind. "After all, they are steps I have taken more times than any other man, woman, and child alive. Yet I sense in you a strength I wish I had, so I believe in time we can help you." Jaune rose his head to look at the man before him, wondering just if the professor could be trusted. Ozpin remained looking out at the sunset.

"Knowing is the most important step Jaune. Not about why, but knowing. Understanding the dark and light, the two sides that make us up and lets our choices decide how to use our knowledge, to create or destroy. I know in this Discompose as you call it, has both good and bad, but it is how you CHOOSE to accept to use this gift in either will define you. Like your father, I have a very good feeling you will do what is right."

(-o0O0o-)

Next Chapter: The First Steps

AN:

It's a small world after all~! It's a small world after all~! It's a small world after all~!

It's a small small world!

Yeah I kept expecting someone to mention the fact bandits were mentioned a few times from Anima and ask if it was the Branwen tribe. Oh well. I had some trouble with my Open Office this week. everything in red then nothing at all, heaven forbid my grammar is off because I don't think that has EVER worked. Haha... fake laugh hiding real pain. ;_; R&R, hope you enjoyed it, hopefully see you next weekend with more.

REVIEWS:

Kreceir:Agreed, though Neptune's weaknesses were a nice funny flip. We needed more from Sun one way or another. Everything about him screams the same thing. It's annoying because he's so 2-D it's more frustrating than boring.

X3runner: Thank you for your continued interest in my story. I'm not saying all 'cults' are like this but rarely does one as 'special' as Adam is here see the negatives more than what is negatively affecting 'him'. What people or things are doing things to 'them', take Blake for example. The similarities between RL terrorists and this WF are suppose to be there. I don't know how some of these people get members, but they do. Don't expect Vales WF drive to work as well, but also don't expect it to be a barren. Some folks are sheep. In this case literally.

I have felt, basically by re-watching the series again that Pyrrha's social skills are barely above cannon Jaune and Ruby's. Her talking in previous chapters was really just her trying to get him to look her way to get him as a partner. She doesn't have all the variables though, and in some ways this Pyrrha is probably happy she didn't end up with Jaune, to which Jaune noticed and was saddened by.

Yang is Yang, she's the mom that never got to be a daughter really. She took care of Ruby, and maybe even Tai after Summer passed on. She's outgoing and adventurous because that's what she really wants to be after years of being mama bear. Goldilocks' story was all about a person looking for that perfect fit for them. Very opposite of Yang's true feelings. But something tells me, given Volume 5, Yang is the mom of the group. Blake might end up with her version of the Arcs at food times in this story given how often SYRN and BARN will be around each other.

Goodwitch is another interesting character. Not just because I have a things for Blonde Green eye'd women. She has little brought to her but what we gather she honestly wants the best for the children even if her classes are a bit harsh. She'd rather be a taskmistress than a funeral director.

Eramis8: I went kinda cop-out with the Nevermore, basically saying Weiss had a plan. Oh look she's the leader of SYRN because of it. Yay~.

Tobi14: Once again thanks for the interest in this story. I was saying the train attack mentioned in the previous chapter WAS the one from the Black trailer. He's hit others since, all of them escalating in violence and brutality due to Discompose doing what the name intended.

Very true, the men following Adam are people either like Ilia or the die hard... because they refuse to let some human's semblance kill them. But it would make them have a definite issue that could be caught.

Young Grimm from the side story about them don't have much in the way of thinking. They are creatures of Grimm, the face of hatred. They don't think about plans. But older ones, ones that have had time to dwell apparently DO begin to think, even if it's only ways to kill humans and destroy humanity. Eventually the older Grimm in my opinion in this story know who and what they follow, adapt and keep doing what they are intended to do.

Jaune might have lost some of that hatred here, but Blake is going to be full of Piss and vinegar next chapter.

TheDelta724: Agreed about BS. See even the shortening of it proves it. Adam DUNG!

Pyrrha will find her place in SYRN eventually, after you wouldn't believe it but Pyrrha is my favorite character in RWBY. And yes Adam is meant to be scary. He will be my villain of this story arc should I move beyond the Beacon arc with this story.

Omaiwamoe: Not much on the romance, but some people getting on the same page and more exposition.

Guesto: K

EiNyx: Cardin will be a point here, but only because of what he is. Jaune like a few other fics I've seen here take the transcripts out of the equation because it is a good point but not functional in liue of Nickolas training him here, or actual training. Sun IS coming. We'll get there.

Also K.

SentinalSlice: Cardin will be a point, but so will normal Grimm... eventually. For a story about girls fighting monsters the first season was devoid of a lot of monsters. As for the sparring Glynda will have an answer for you next chapter or so.


	8. Chapter 8

Some semblances are oft crafted by the soul of the person, yet some are shaped by the experiences of their owner. In that case it can be either a blessing or a curse and for one Jaune Arc, when captured by the White Fang, he learns his Discompose certainly seems like the latter.

Pain is Merely a Touch Away.

By

Hibiki

Imagine you could have the rights to RWBY, but for the rest of your life, you would have to clean up every mess or problem created by every Rooster Teeth 'Million Dollars, But..." challenge accepted. Would it be worth it? Not for me.

RWBY is created by Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.

Chapter Eight: The First Steps

(-o0O0o-)

It was a quiet calm morning for the man who had seen too many. One he had often come to enjoy, even if it had taken him centuries and hundreds of lives to finally do so. So it came as a shock to him when Ozpin looked up from his scoll with a tweaked eyebrow as his elevator chimed it's quaint pleasant ding before two figures strode out of the disrupting the peace with anger and more importantly, rage.

"I insist you listen to me this instant! I can have you removed if you keep on this path!" Glynda announced hurrying after the monochromatic blur heading right for him, amber eyes flashing dangerously.

"OZPIN!" If the voice had been in a deep rumbling base and male, then tone of his name turned curse would have been identical to that of Hazel, a man he had mentioned only just last night. To the person shouting his name's partner in fact.

"Ms. Belladonna." He tried to calm her but even saying her name only seemed to incense her more. The young woman slammed her hands onto his table, enough to spill some of his coffee onto it.

"Never again, you hear me? NEVER. I don't give a damn who you think you are, but if you do that to Jaune again I will GUT you." Ozpin had seen those eyes before, and knew her words to be true as the sun rising to the east. Glynda had heard enough and was about to speak out in anger when Ozpin gave her a signal to stand down. His headmistress looked distressed, a student had just threatened the headmaster, but Ozpin gave the signal again, telling her to stand down and leave. With confusion swirling with anger she did so, giving him one last look of worry before the elevator door closed, leaving them alone.

"I understand your, anger, Ms. Belladonna. But before we speak, please sit." Blake made no motion to sit down, forcing the man to sigh, rubbing at his nose to ease the coming stress. "Very well... This isn't the first time a team leader has walked into my office to threaten me about a teammate, but I do have to say you have broken the record by a week." His words didn't change the look of anger on the girl's face, not that he thought they would. "However in what way have I wronged your partner, Miss Belladonna?"

"When he came back, he was shaken. His nightmares the strongest they had been in months. He was in pain." Blake's face wasn't just anger now, it was pain, Ozpin's dull brown eyes took that in as the faunas continued. "In a way he hadn't been since Anima."

"When you ran into the Branwen tribe." Blake went on the defensive, hand reaching for a small hidden dagger she always kept on her person since her capture, but stilled when the man made no move for anything, merely giving her a bored look over his glasses. It was a weird feeling for the girl, one that was far too similar to Adam's intimidating aura than she cared to like, but yet, older, more refined. As if her going for the weapon wouldn't have made any difference to the man one way or another.

"H-how do you know about that?" Ozpin took a moment to dab at the spilled drink on his desk with a napkin before responding.

"A ex-college of mine is a part of the tribe, one of the few who escaped unscathed by Mr. Arc's offensive to save you. Her twin brother, however, is still a valued friend who she was brought to by means of a portal. This friend was told by his sister why he inundated by half a dozen of the tribes finest and he in turn told me. It didn't occur to me that you and Mr. Arc were the ones in Raven's description to my friend until I spoke to him a few days ago when he was in town."

Ozpin casually picked up his coffee and took a sip before resuming.

"Of course I had been following your trail since the bodies of twenty two faunas in white fang garb had been found just west of Mistral." Blake froze. "Half who appeared to have committed suicide while others died defending against a Grimm swarm." That was news, the camp had been well over fifty strong. It was one of the larger White Fang encampments, just shy of the one surrounding Sienna in one of the lower echelons of the Mistral capital, hence why they braved the wilds west after escaping. "Of course it only became clear it was a semblance when an Inn suffered a similar fate in Higanbana a week later." Blake looked uncomfortable at hearing. "No suspects were apprehended and anyone still alive were unable to talk about the person responsible."

"We needed to get away before more innocents were hurt." Blake defended.

"Seeing the results, I have to agree with that assessment. It was only due to the quick responses of Professor Lionheart and Haven Academy that kept the village from being overrun by Grimm." Blake rubbed the detached sleeve of her outfit looking guiltily about before sighing.

"It's one of the reasons I became a huntress. To help those who we... _**I've**_ harmed." Ozpin raised a slender eyebrow before answering.

"The reason I pushed your partner is that despite what you may hope for Mr. Arc, he needs to accept the reality you want so desperately to keep from him.

"And what is that, professor." Her voice had regained some of it's venom as she recovered from the shock of him knowing in some detail about her and Jaune's journey to Sanus.

"Acceptance of, which in this case, the pain he has suffered. It will be the first step in recovering from the events that happened in Anima."

"What do you mean recovering? He's doing better. He's getting better everyday." Blake argued.

"But is hiding the pain, truly progress? No, what I fear is more like how Mr. Arc protects against his semblance is how he is coping with his time with the White Fang. Then answer to both issues becomes clear. It is to remove the need to cover. To let him take control of the issues rather than let them control him. It will be hard, and he may remember much he has tried to forget, but with help, he will gain control." Ozpin looked to the screen before him. "Classes will start soon, you should head to your team and get ready." Blake looked to her scroll and sighed, knowing the man right.

"This isn't over. We will discuss this again before I send him back. I'm worried for his safety, mentally and otherwise." She turned and began walking away.

"But is that only what you are truly worried about, Blake?" Ozpin gave her another hard stare. "Or are you trying to run from your part in his suffering?"

Blake paused a moment, hand hovering over the call button a moment before pressing it. The doors parted with a chime allowing the girl entry but before she did she turned back halfway to call over her shoulder.

"I already accepted that one day he will hate me, that I will feel his full semblance... But I care too much for him than to just... leave. I can't run away, knowing he would be completely and utterly alone. That's more pain than either one of us can stand."

The door gave one more chime, closing behind her, leaving a man thinking.

"Was I ever that stubborn?" Silence reigned for a few seconds before a slightly more amused ozpin spoke again. "Right. I was much worse. We both were."

(-o0O0o-)

It was a hard thinking Blake who returned to her room to marshal her team. The trio awaiting her were ready for class already, no doubt having took her announcement as she rose to talk to Ozpin seriously. Ren and Nora in the beacon garb and Jaune remaining in his normal heavy duty coverings. It made her think harder about

"We have classes in twenty, lets get some food." Jaune was up a hair slower than Nora who was already dragging Ren behind her as she skipped towards the cafeteria. "No nuggets."

"Aww." Jaune pouted, and despite her previous talk with Ozpin, Blake couldn't resist smirking at hearing his whine.

"Eat good today and I'll let you be bad tomorrow. I promised your mother I'd try and make sure you ate healthy. I'm not an Arc but I know better than to not keep one made to one." Jaune cupped her shoulder, giving her a quick hug she leaned into.

(-o0O0o-)

 _Jaune grasped at his stomach, covered in lines upon lines of cuts just barely deep enough to cause him to cry out as the two grunts all but threw him down into the cell that had become his home this past month. The two never looked back, leaving him to lay there bleeding into the already darkly stained floor. He tried to sit up but had no strength or ability. His right hand unable to do anything but twitch in agony, bleeding through it's dirty bandages, as Blake came rushing forward with a rapidly depleting medical kit._

" _Jaune...! Oh God, what did he do to you?" She whispered worriedly, dabbing at his fresh wounds as quickly as she could, tears gathering as she watched the man take a gasping cough as his raw throat refused to moisten from his screams she had refused to listen to, returning to her post far sooner than normal. She paused in her treatments to give him some water that had come from her rations before returning to the mess Adam had made to his stomach. "Why... Why does he keep doing this?" She whispered to herself out loud, unable to internalize her horror._

" _D-don't know." Jaune replied. Her amber eyes looked through the tears to see his bloodshot cerulean looking into hers._

" _I.. I wasn't... Don't speak, save your strength." Jaune's left hand found her right, him trying to give a reassuring smile through his pain._

" _If I can-gk-t speak, then... can you?" He coughed harder. "Tell... ng.. about you?"_

" _I..." She looked down, running from his intense gaze. "... I'm not certain what to say. I..."_

" _Won't tell a soul. Give you my... word.. as an Arc." Jaune gently squeezed her hand, making the girl look around to make sure no one was around, her fear of Adam keeping her quiet and in doubt. Once she was certain the others had truly left, she took his hand in her own, giving it's own reassuring squeeze before returning to dressing his wounds._

" _I was born on Menagerie, in Kuo Kuana. My father..." 'Blake began, all the while in the back of her mind a thought began to grow. 'I'll help you escape this nightmare. Even if I can't, I'll set you free. I promise you.'_

(-o0O0o-)

"You never did tell a soul."

"Hm?" Jaune looked down to her, with Blake starting realizing she had said that out loud.

"Just reminiscing about things." Jaune nodded. Blake looked around, noting their slow pace had left them alone in walking to the cafeteria. "Jaune... Do you think Ozpin is going to be able to help you? It's not too late to just leave if you think this will be a waste of our time."

"I don't know. This whole knowledge being the key and all that. Needing to know myself and what I've gone through to unlock my real semblance sounds... far fetched. But dad had come to this guy specifically so maybe there is something to it. I... what do you think I should do?"

Blake sighed. Internally she wanted to say they should go. Leave and return home. Progress was slow there but they were making progress. It would take a lot more time but Jaune would have been able to be in public in... She clenched her eyes shut. Years. It would take years upon years of him slowly torturing himself and his family mentally, years of just her being his sole physical outlet. Ozpin's ideals were more radical, more daring but the payoff could be...

"I want to give it a shot. If this doesn't work, we'll go back to what we know. But I want to be able to see you hug your family again. I want them to know how nice it feels too." Blake woodenly came to a stop, her cheeks going scarlet.

"Oh, you like my hugs, do you?" Before she could rephrase herself or remove herself she was enveloped into a real hug. She could have easily used her semblance to slip away but she didn't. She couldn't ever run from him. She wrapped her arms around him after giving up trying, settling for nuzzling close. "I guess you do."

"Shut up, Jaune." She looked to him, golden eyes staring holes into his smiling cerulean. "Don't tell anyone about this."

"I give you my word as an Arc." She smiled and leaned back into his arms for a moment.

"Hey you two! Ten minutes to class, move your butts!" Nora called out at the end of the hall, pulling the two from the embrace with words alone.

"Um... let's go eat?" Jaune awkwardly asked.

"Right! I'll be a second, get us something quick." He nodded and began running off after his teammates. "No nuggets!" He gave a halfhearted whine but continued onward giving her a moment. She rubbed her face, trying to rub the blush off her face with mixed results. "Ilia wasn't ever this hard to understand."

(-o0O0o-)

Light grey eyes looked sadly out the window as rain poured down from the dark clouds over Kuo Kuana, hitting her tarpin roof with a solid pattering. Her home sat high on the rim of the valley that made the city her home safe from the creatures beyond the mountains. The owner of the eyes looked for the countless time to the tall imposing structure in the center of the city, it's lights dim even with her faunas eyesight against the heavy rain. She sighed, remembering her first love, her dreams, and the pain of jealousy that still filled her.

"Sister Ilia." The girl's eyes widened and turned away from her gaze to the Belladonna home to the two figures in the doorway. She quickly scrambled to her feet, kneeling before them humbly.

"Brothers Albain? Why have you braved this storm to come see me?"

"We've received word that our wayward Sister Blake has appeared in Vale, at Beacon Academy... Along with her pet monster." Ilia's expression matched her changing colors. "You know her best out of all of the White Fang capable of infiltrating." Corsac started. His brother continued.

"Sister Blake has lost sight of her goals, her beliefs. She's been seduced by the monster which slaughtered countless of our brothers and sisters and has caused considerable harm to our Brother Adam and his surviving men." Fennec sneered.

"How do you know she is there at Beacon?" Ilia asked.

"We overheard this information being told to the chieftain by his wife. Brother Fennec took it upon himself to look for more proof and discovered this." Corsac pulled out an envelop addressed to Kali Belladonna, the trembling waif took it and slid out the letter. It was from someone named Juniper. The rest of the words stopped meaning when she glanced at the photo that had been put between the folds of the letter. It was a picture of Blake, her ears exposed in a way Ilia couldn't remember seeing since she was a kid, dressed very casually and laying asleep on a couch with an equally sleeping man, covered heavily up to his neck. Her love was half in his lap, with his head resting against Blake's in a way that made Ilia's blood boil in the closeness of it all. Their soft smiles upon their face was equally damming to the girl as Corsac continued. "The inscription on the back tells us this is the beast." Ilia shakily turned the photo over. _BlakeXJaune. ~Aren't they so adorable, Kali?_

"This mission comes straight from High Leader Khan." Ilia's eyes widened but she remained bowed, awaiting instructions. "The name of your target is Jaune Arc. Get close and remove this threat to all peoples. Even the humans will thank us for removing this threat once his true nature come to light." Fennec prose.

"It is with hope this single death shall force Brother Adam's slaughter to cease, and then the next step towards equality can begin." The brothers each put a hand on the small girl, who looked up at their faces with some awe. "This will bring you the hatred of young Blake, my dear. I know you are fond of her. But you must realize with this act, you will be our first step towards peace."

"I... I understand." Ilia swallowed the bile rising in her throat, clenching the picture in her hand. "I'll be ready to go by first light."

(-o0O0o-)

Next Chapter: The Burden of the Badge

AN:

This was easier than the last two, but in some ways harder. Weaving narratives, hidden feelings, love triangles, plots upon plots from multiple sources. This could either be the most interesting end game I'm setting up or the most convoluted hot mess I've made to date. I hope I'm good enough of a writer for it to be the first and not the second one.

Reviews:

Zellfer1: That was the name of it, yes I had all but forgotten. Yes, that was the story I got the idea from, though I have tweaked the power quite a bit.

X3runner: Thanks for enjoying it.. And no, remember Ruby isn't a leader here.

Eramis8:It wasn't said outright so maybe, just wait and see.

Tobi14: Weiss is leader... yay~... She'll soon hate it I'm sure. Three teenage girls are much different than a business. And if it isn't well someone call the cops. Ruby wanted to be normal. But normal was not thrust upon her, leadership, silver eyes, and a crazy old uncle's insane scythe style were in canon. This story at least she's not the leader. Doesn't mean she can't make up things to 'help' Weiss.

Not just Jaune coming to terms with his power and the consequences will help make Blake a better leader, more will be mentioned later. Not to mention the seven Arc sisters, who I only recently learned (today) Jaune canon wise falls somewhere under most of them in age but in this story Jaune is the oldest child.

Raven being more crazy than she is in canon? We'll see.

Jaune explaining the details of his semblance is simply Jaune in a nutshell. The reason Blake mentions his infinate capacity to care. He cares enough to want people safe from him, but deep down it makes him sad when they do keep their distance (like Pyrrha did unconsciously) because he wants to be a part of the world again. He's trapped behind all those clothes or walls from everyone else but Blake.

Qrow's faith in Ozpin is circumspect to be sure, I mean beyond Summer who has passed on during a mission, apparently dealt with by team WTCH, the other remaining members of team STRQ repudiate Ozpin. Tai moved away to Patch, Raven left the order. Why is Qrow still latched on?

Mecharic: Over 80% of the Branwen tribe were wiped out as mentioned. The rest are with Raven, more of her to come.

Disturbed911: Weiss being leader will actually be interesting to me, as I VERY rarely see it. I mean as in apparently CRWBY had Prof. Port say she wasn't a good leader and therefore IT IS LAW for Weiss to never be a leader. Yang howsoever unless it revolves around Ruby or Raven isn't as proactive as I thought as I re-watched the series. In fact she was almost more indecisive as Blake was before V4, and it took Tai saying he wasn't going to go search for Ruby because of her that Yang put the arm on. SO no, Yang as leader would have been... probably less impressive as it blowing up in Weiss' face will be. Oops spoilers.

ZenithTempest: Well I can't fault you for thinking I made errors. I can't say I haven't. Yes, Ren and Nora's stories aren't overly complex, and Ruby and Pyrrha are the main set pieces in V1-3 (The only arc I will more than likely cover in this entire fan fiction). That said there are ways around it, outside of a hilarious Omake that comes to mind I'll probably post next chapter. Jaune is central to his own little WF controversy and his power will play into the next phase of Beacon's little crazy as we get closer to the end of the the Beacon Arc. As for Blake for leader? Well true, she isn't a good leader. To be honest, NONE of them are at first or EVER. Ruby grew into it, Jaune was decent at one part of it, Sun yelled a lot at Neptune and ditched his team more often than not (still doing it too). Cardinal... was Cardinal. Coco shot things. Yeah... sad when Cinder is the best leader type person and that was a fake team. Info dump wise? *Shrugs* I got nothin. Sorry.


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